Minister Mandates 21 Priority Sports for National Games

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir has stressed that 21 priority sports under the National Sports Grand Design (DBON) must be contested at the National Games (PON) in West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, and DKI Jakarta as the supporting host.

“Please ensure that Indonesia’s leading sports, in accordance with the latest DBON, for the 21 mandatory sports are contested,” Erick Thohir said during a press conference following a consolidation meeting with the three PON 2028 host governors in Jakarta on Tuesday.

The 21 DBON sports are Olympic priority disciplines, namely athletics, gymnastics, aquatics, badminton, weightlifting, sport climbing, archery, football, shooting, judo, boxing, taekwondo, cycling, beach volleyball (2x2), and basketball (3x3).

Also included are rowing (rowing and canoeing), fencing, wrestling, equestrian, and a world heritage sport native to Indonesia, pencak silat.

The minister explained that his ministry is currently remapping Indonesia’s sports achievements towards multi-event competitions such as the SEA Games, Asian Games, and Olympics.

Therefore, athlete preparation for success at these international multi-event competitions must align with the national multi-event competition, PON.

Menpora expressed hope that the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) will properly enforce regulations in organising PON, including those related to contested sports and athlete transfers between regions.

“Everything must have a good benchmark,” he said.

The minister also stated that the government has decided not to build new arenas for the upcoming PON, considering the need for efficient budget use, and hopes the host governors will carry out necessary renovations to existing venues.

Furthermore, his ministry will hold coordination meetings with the Minister of Public Works, Minister of Finance, and Minister of Home Affairs, and report to the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture to ensure PON preparations proceed smoothly and according to the expectations of the government and the public.

Also present at the press conference were Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Taufik Hidayat, West Nusa Tenggara Governor Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung, and Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the Indonesian House of Representatives Lalu Hadrian Irfani.