National Police chief yet to accept offer to lead PBVSI

National Police chief yet to accept offer to lead PBVSI

JAKARTA (JP): National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo has
yet to respond to the offer from the Indonesian Volleyball
Association (PBVSI) to chair the organization for the 2000 to
2004 term.

PBVSI vice chairman Sutardiono said on Tuesday a delegation of
association officials would meet with Rusdihardjo on Friday to
discuss the matter.

"We really hope that the police chief is willing to chair
PBVSI to replace the current chairwoman, Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana.
But we'll know the answer on Friday," he said.

PBVSI was traditionally chaired by the National Police chief
before Hardiyanti, better known as Tutut, became chairwoman in
1996.

"Bu Tutut declined to continue chairing the association due to
the recent situation after her father, former president Soeharto,
stepped down in 1998, and due to her tight schedule," Sutardiono
said.

PBVSI is scheduled to hold a two-day national congress in
Sentul, Bogor. The congress -- which will be attended by
representatives from PBVSI's 26 provincial chapters -- will hear
the chairman's accountability report, to which the 26 chapters
will respond. Congress members will also arrange training
programs for the 2000 to 2004 term and select a new chairman.

Sutardiono said new association officials must meet four
requirements -- the ability to manage the sport on a national
scale; they must be professionals in volleyball in order to
arrange training programs; be able to raise funds and sell the
sport on TV and on the courts; and the ability to develop the
sport in the country's schools.

"It's very important to have people who love volleyball and
have the vision to make the sport marketable, particularly for TV
coverage."

"It's also important to involve people from the Ministry of
National Education to enable PBVSI to develop the sport in
schools and recruit talented students for the national team,"
Sutardiono said.

He said PBVSI's new officials were expected to continue the
annual Livoli national volleyball league and increase the
frequency of national student and youth championships.

He also hoped the association's chapters could become
financially independent in line with the new Law on Regional
Autonomy.

"Usually they (provincial chapters) ask PBVSI to pay 50
percent of their expenses. Hopefully with the new law, the
chapters can get sponsorships from local companies to finance
their activities," he said. (yan)