KONI upset with poor preparation for SEA Games

KONI upset with poor preparation for SEA Games

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) has expressed
concern over the poor training preparation of some sports
organizations competing in the coming 20th Southeast Asian (SEA)
Games in Brunei Darussalam in August.

Moch. Hindarto, an official in charge of athletes'
development, said the hockey, rowing and sepak takraw sports
bodies had not yet sent their key players to start the
centralized training program for the games.

He also said the All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) had
failed to respond to his request for consultation on its
preparation for the SEA Games.

"I regret PSSI's absence. We have sent an invitation to them
and even called up the federation's office. Why are they busy for
pre-Olympic training while ignoring the preparations for the
(SEA) games?" he said.

Hindarto did not give any further details, but called on the
sports organization to withdraw if it was not prepared to compete
in the games.

"If technically they are not prepared, what's the use of
driving themselves to compete? Each sports organization must know
its own readiness. So it's better for all of us to take a good
look at ourselves," he said after meeting representatives from 17
sports organizations at the KONI office in Central Jakarta.

Hindarto said he would report the results of the meeting to
KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar on Friday. He will also
discuss the situation with PSSI.

He reiterated that each sports organization must start its
training program by May 7 at the latest to allow a three-month
effective training period.

The SEA Games, to be hosted by Brunei Darussalam for the first
time, will be held from Aug. 7 to Aug. 12 and will offer 235 gold
medals in 21 sports.

Indonesia will compete in 20 sports: badminton, basketball,
billiards and snooker, bowling, boxing, cycling, soccer, golf,
hockey, karate, pencak silat, sepak takraw, shooting, squash,
swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, tennis, track and field and
traditional boat racing.

KONI said earlier that some 534 athletes from these sports
have been groomed for the Games. Only the top athletes are
invited to join the centralized training program here, which was
originally scheduled for early June.

KONI also claimed that it had only received the medical test
results from four sports -- boxing, taekwondo, squash and
basketball. The medical test, which is obligatory for the
athletes, would be used as the basis for arranging the training
programs.

Imron Z.S., the head of KONI's training center who accompanied
Hindarto at the meeting, said his office would conduct field
tests, starting on Monday, to collect information on the physical
condition and ability of athletes.

"Based on our calculations, all athletes should have gone
through the competition phase. If they have not reached this
stage, we will conduct a field test," he said.

Consultation

He said the tests will be followed by consultation with
officials from the sports bodies and the coaches to determine
whether the athlete will compete in the Games.

"If the test result show that an athlete has not reached his
or her peak performance level or the athlete could not achieve
this condition in the remaining three months, the coach should
not force the athlete to go," he said, explaining that the state
budget would limit the training programs and the size of the
contingent to be sent to Brunei.

Imron said KONI would divide the 20 sports into four main
groups to simplify supervision.

"We grouped the sports because their venues are close to each
other," he said.

The first group consists of track and field, badminton,
swimming, squash and tennis. The second group consists of
basketball, billiards and snooker, hockey, soccer and rowing. The
third group includes cycling, shooting, sepak takraw, taekwondo
and table tennis and the last group consists of bowling, golf,
karate, pencak silat and boxing. (ivy)