KULSOC fails to issue IDs to Indonesian SEAG team

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)`