Management of sports

Management of sports

From Neraca

I do not agree with the Indonesian Consumer Institute's approval for the gathering of funds for sport from the community, even if the management of the acquired funds is transparent.

Sports need the support of the community because organizers of sporting events cannot rely on the government for funds all the time. But collection of funds by imposing compulsory contributions at toll gates, or when making IDs and drivers' licenses is no longer feasible. Besides, such forms of collection should first be approved by the legislators in Jakarta and by the councils in the regions.

Although transparency in the management of funds is intended, it is tempting for a committee chairman or a sporting event organizer to see billions of rupiah on his personal account while nobody else knows the exact amount of the funds. So far the funds collected for the 19th South East Asian Games have not been accounted for.

If the government, through the Ministry of Youths and Sports, initiates the program olahraga dan kemanusiaan (sports and humanity), the plan should first be proposed to the House of Representatives and consulted about seriously with the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI), the Indonesian Council of Churches (DGI) and other religious councils and, surely, with the Consumer Institute, because the program involves the public.

Actually sponsorship is the best way to raise sports funds. If sports are organized commercially like a profitable business, sponsors will certainly be interested. It is not advisable to want too much too soon by organizing big national and international events. Local events, if attractively packaged, will attract the public and sponsors.

This is indeed no new idea. I would only like to remind the parties concerned that entrepreneurship is essential in the management of sports. Nowadays people are smarter and law conscious; looking for contributions through stickers and the like belongs definitely to the past.

R. BAKROEN

Jakarta