Lifters forced to scrap Greece outing

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Lack of financial support from the National Sports Council (KONI) has resulted in a late cancellation of an already-planned trip to Greece by a weightlifting team.

The national weightlifting body PABBSI had planned to send two athletes to Tofalos Kakousis, Greece, to take part in an international weightlifting tournament there as part of preparations for the 2002 Asian Games.

The team comprised lifters Nusyanto in the men's 62kg category, Rosmaniar in the women's 48kg, coach Eddy Santosa and manager Hadi Wihardja. The tournament is scheduled from Saturday until next Monday.

The four were to have left on Thursday, only to find that the trip was canceled on Wednesday due to lack of financial support from KONI.

Hadi Wihardja, the team's manager, said that KONI had backed out from its pledge to fully fund the athletes' overseas tryouts.

"They gave us only US$4,000," Hadi told The Jakarta Post at KONI headquarters. He pointed to an envelope on the desk. "The money is here, but I shall return it," he said.

They were at the KONI office supposedly to bid farewell. Instead, they found themselves complaining about KONI's policy.

"How could we survive on that sum of money? It wouldn't be enough for the air tickets alone," he said in sheer frustration. He added that the Greece trip, with four people in the team, would have cost about US$8,000.

KONI is currently grooming 130 athletes, who, assessed on their medal prospects in Busan, have been split into top- and second-priority athletes.

Nusyanto and Rosmaniar do not fall into the top-priority category.

Training director Imron Z.S. reiterated that only athletes in the top-priority list would be provided with comprehensive financial support for their overseas tryouts.

"The policy should be reviewed. No top priority, no second priority. All are representing the red and white (the Indonesian national flag). There should be no disparity in treatment," Hadi said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, PABBSI secretary-general Gandrung said that it would now look to Thailand as an alternative tryout location. "Greece is too far. What more I don't think other Asian countries will participate in the event either," he said, in an attempt to minimize the debacle.