KONI to sanction PRSI Jambi chapter

JAKARTA (JP): The training director for the 2000 Olympic Games, Arie Sudewo, is considering imposing a sanction on the Jambi chapter of the National Swimming Federation of Indonesia (PRSI) for sending its women's swimmer Elsa Manora Nasution to the United States without notifying the National Sports Council (KONI).

Elsa, who is groomed for the Olympics in Sydney in September, was training in San Francisco, California, for a month before she returned here last week. Her departure sparked controversy as the chapter failed to inform KONI and Arie.

Arie said he received a copy, which was forwarded to the PRSI office in Jakarta, with notification of Elsa's overseas plans.

"We are considering imposing a sanction on the Jambi chapter of PRSI because we want to maintain discipline by following our organization's procedures," he said.

"But we won't pull Elsa off the team for the Olympics. She is innocent, she just did what she was told by the organization," he said, adding that the official in charge of the training center, Imron Z.S., was considering the possible sanction.

"I'm glad that the organization took the initiative to send athletes overseas to train. But the organization has to follow procedures," he said.

Elsa received financial support to train in the United States from the Jambi chapter, which is hoping she will contribute gold medals in the 15th National Games (PON) in Surabaya in June.

PRSI spokesperson Gusti Ayu Made Sadrini regretted KONI's action, saying on Tuesday that the Jambi chapter wanted its swimmers to be the best in any sports event.

"KONI should have acted more wisely. Elsa wants to compete in the Olympics and before that she should participate in PON. But PRSI, and even KONI, could not provide money any longer to fund her overseas training."

"PRSI has no specific plan to send its athletes overseas after the Asian swimming championships in Pusan, South Korea, last month. And KONI's financial allocation for the Olympic-trained athletes is no longer sufficient," she told The Jakarta Post.

Made said a misunderstanding could develop between KONI and PRSI's chapter in Jambi. She said PRSI did not object to its chapter's decision to send Elsa abroad.

"It was for Elsa's own good. We had no problem with it."

She also said the Jambi chapter had sent a notification letter to PRSI, but the letter could have arrived late. "The Jambi chapter has done nothing wrong. But it might have sent the letter too late," she said. (ivy)