KONI to meet DPR over RI Asiad debacle
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Sports Council (KONI) is scheduled to appear at a hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR) on Thursday to give an account of the recent participation of the national sporting delegation at the Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.
"We will be talking about the Asian Games, and also the upcoming SEA (Southeast Asian) Games," Wismoyo Arismunandar told The Jakarta Post here on Wednesday.
But the former Army chief refused to elaborate further about the agenda. "Let's see in the DPR," he said.
His aide I.G.K. Manila said the hearing, which would also be attended by officials from the ministry of national education, would be held with members of House Commission VI for human resources and religious affairs.
KONI has been at the center of criticism after an Indonesian team, comprising over 100 athletes, returned home from Busan with only four gold medals.
The collection was only two third of that which Indonesia won in Bangkok four years ago. As far as national hopes are concerned, the gold medal count was also far short of President Megawati's expectation of 15.
When asked if the hearing would lead to KONI's conclusion that it failed in Busan, Manila said: "We will tell them (legislators) we have fallen short of equaling our Bangkok totals."
Indonesia's gold medalists were wind-surfer Oka Sulaksana, badminton shuttler Taufik Hidayat, karateka Muhammad Hasan Basri and women's tennis team comprising Angelique Widjaja, Wynne Adiati Prakusya, Wukirasih Sawondari and Liza Andriyani.
Upon its return to Jakarta, KONI has been quick to deflect blame, citing a poor understanding of opponents' strengths, lack of money and a lack of "Lady Luck" for the failure.
"With no intention of predicting what Pak Wismoyo will say, I guess those will be among the points discussed at the hearing," Manila said.
Manila, who is also the director of the Indonesia Sports Academy (Akorin), said he expected the hearing to provide feedback and input from the legislators as to what could be done to improve national sports.
He also said that it would be a good forum to discuss the government's commitment to sports through its "Garuda Emas" program.
Garuda Emas, or Golden Eagle, was started in 1992 but has not come close to producing the kind of success that was hoped for, with Manila criticizing the government for a "lack of goodwill and consistency".
One of the goals of the program was for Indonesia to place in the top six overall on the medal table by the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, a feat seemingly out of reach in light of recent performances.