KONI will increase bonuses for coaches
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) is to award coaches higher cash bonuses than ever before if their athletes win medals at the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok next month.
KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said on Thursday he made the promise following complaints the sports council had paid little attention to coaches despite their key roles in improving national athletes' performances.
South Korean taekwondo coach Oh Il-nam on Thursday was the latest to criticize Wismoyo over the council's apathy toward trainers' mediocre economic status.
Wismoyo, who toured the taekwondo training camp in Ragunan, South Jakarta, ahead of the Asiad, admitted having paid little respect to coaches.
"Without coaches, even a very talented athlete won't emerge as a champion," he said.
To boost Indonesia's performance in the upcoming Asiad, a coach will be offered a prize equal to 40 percent of the cash bonus given to a medal-winning athlete, according to Wismoyo.
Athletes received Rp 25 million ((US$7,000 at the time) for each gold won at the 19th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games here last year. Coaches only earned Rp 5 million.
The council has announced that an Asian Games gold medal will be worth Rp 50 million (US$6,500 at Thursday's rate) for an athlete, a silver Rp 30 million and a bronze Rp 15 million.
Indonesia has set its sights on winning six golds, 11 silvers and 13 bronzes from the 21 sports it will compete in at the event.
Wismoyo said he welcomed any sports organizations' moves to provide bigger cash prizes for coaches.
Oh told Wismoyo he represented fellow national coaches who found their grievances over insufficient salaries had been left unheeded.
"If coaches always have to think about how to meet their families' basic needs, how can they concentrate on their jobs and in turn improve their athletes' achievement," Oh said.
Oh said he did not worry about his earnings, thanks to his $1,400 monthly salary given by the South Korean government.
"I'm paid enough by my government. It's the local coaches I'm thinking about. Even if I don't get the bonus, that's fine with me," he said.
The sports council plans to raise Oh's monthly allowance to Rp 750,000, but the foreign coach said he never thought about it.
Speaking about his target at the Asian Games, Oh predicted one of his six proteges would win a gold. "We have a great chance in the men's and women's flyweight, the men's bantamweight and middleweight," he said.
Oh said South Korea would not compete in the flyweight and bantamweight classes of the nation's traditional martial art.
Indonesia will field Andri Halim (heavyweight), Robert (middleweight), Dominggus Boro (bantamweight) and Satrio (flyweight) on the men's side and Sinta Berliana Heru (heavyweight) and Yoana Wangsa Putri (flyweight) in the women's competition. (yan)