KULSOC fails to issue IDs to Indonesian SEAG team

JAKARTA (JP): Administrative glitches have marred the lead-up to the 21st Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, one of which could dash Indonesia's medal hopes in the men's basketball competition.

The National Sports Council (KONI) advance team found that the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (KULSOC) had failed to complete the accreditation process of Indonesian team members in time.

"KONI advance team leader JEW Gozal said in his daily report that KULSOC had yet to issue the necessary accreditations for the Indonesian contingent and journalists," KONI spokesman Ahmed Solihin told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

"The main press center has not received the registration forms for Indonesian journalists because KULSOC's accreditation section has been holding the forms instead of handing them over to the main press center," he added.

Ahmed quoted Gozal as saying that there were only 20 forms at the main press center out of the 137 sent by KONI to KULSOC.

"Even worse, the organizing committee has also 'misplaced' registration forms of some of our athletes despite the fact that KONI officials submitted the forms individually," he said.

He ruled out the possibility that SEA Games organizers let the administrative slipup happen intentionally.

"But I am sure KULSOC did not purportedly misplace the forms. They perhaps faced problems at the beginning of their work."

Ahmed said KONI had prepared a backup in the form of scanned files as well as copying all the registration forms that might be needed to process the accreditation.

"KULSOC has guaranteed that it would provide all the accreditations for our main batch of players in the contingency who will depart for Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday," he added.

Protest

Administrative flaws have also prompted the Indonesian men's basketball team to protest a 'disadvantageous match schedule,' which would force it to play three straight matches without a day of rest.

The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) lodged the protest last week, but it has gone unanswered so far.

"We just want an explanation from the organizers. If they don't respond, they have the right not to. But for sure, this should not affect our aim to bring back a silver," the team's manager Erick Tohir told the Post on Tuesday.

Indonesia is pitted against the Philippines and Thailand on the first and second day respectively, with Malaysia slated as its opponent on the third day.

"Malaysia seems to be seeking to take us when we are exhausted. After our games with the Philippines and Thailand, we are expected to be burned out, and then there they are coming in," Erick said.

"None of the other teams have such an unusually hectic schedule as ours," he added said.

The basketball competition in the men's category is featuring reigning champion the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Unlike previous matches in which the winner was decided in a grand final, the competition will be played in a round-robin format with the winner to be selected on their win-loss record. (01/nvn)`