KONI waits for lists on fund, equipment needs

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) expects sports organizations to submit lists of their equipment and funding needs as they prepare to send athletes to overseas competitions in preparation for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney in September.

KONI spokesman Ahmed Solihin said at a media conference on Tuesday the council was waiting for the lists before allocating its budget of Rp 6.9 billion (US$920,000) for 11 sports organizations.

"The Olympic executive director of training, Arie Sudewo, doesn't want to have to 'sprint to the line' for the Olympic preparations. That's why he has already asked sports organizations to submit their equipment and budget lists," Ahmed said after meeting with Arie and other officials.

Seven sports -- archery, diving, tae kwon do, track and field, swimming, weightlifting and windsurfing -- have qualified athletes for the Olympics, while 33 badminton players, seven boxers, two judokas and two tennis players are either competing in Olympic prequalifying rounds or waiting for wild cards entries from the Sydney Olympic Games Organizing Committee (SOGOC).

Thirty-nine male and 32 female athletes and 25 coaches joined the country's Olympic training program beginning on Feb. 1. The Olympics will take place from Sept. 15 to Oct. 1.

Badminton remains the most likely sport to yield Olympic gold for Indonesia. Indonesian shuttlers have won gold since the sport was first included in the Olympics in 1992 at Barcelona.

Ahmed said Olympic training officials had consulted on the training programs of five sports organizations -- badminton, boxing, judo, tennis and windsurfing.

"Officials from the badminton, boxing and judo sports bodies asked KONI to give them scientific training methods. While the tennis association asked KONI to help secure wild cards for Wynne Prakusya and Yayuk Basuki. We will send a letter to SOGOC through ITF (the International Tennis Federation) before the March 15 deadline. The boxing association also asked KONI for financial support," he said.

Ahmed said the Indonesian Judo Association (PJSI) would send female judoka Aprilia Marzuki and male judoka Kresna Bayu to the Olympic prequalifying round in Osaka, Japan, in April. Another female judoka, Prapti Ningsih, will be unable to compete in the event because of a recent surgery.

"PJSI will likely replace her with Ira Purnama Sari, but it has not yet decided. A Japanese association is willing to fund the athletes' trip to Japan. If Aprilia, Bayu and perhaps Ira qualify in the competition, they will train either in Europe or Japan," he said.

KONI has received Rp 2.5 billion from the Gelora Senayan Management Board and the surplus from the 1999 Southeast Asian Games budget to finance the Olympic training.

However, the money is only enough to finance the training until the end of March.

The government is expected to disburse another Rp 4.9 billion for the training program. (ivy)