National Sports Council to screen athletes' fitness for Asiad

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Indonesian Sports Council (KONI) is set to hold a medical screening for its Asian Games' athletes next month to monitor their physical and mental shape ahead of the quadrennial Asian sporting showcase in Busan, South Korea.

"The test will be conducted in the second week of May. We will screen them to find out whether or not they can measure up to eighty percent of the level of fitness we expect of athletes prior to the games," Imron ZS, the training director, told a media conference here on Thursday.

"If they demonstrate the expected level of fitness, we hope they will arrive in peak condition at the Asian Games," he added. He was accompanied by KONI spokeswoman Soraya Perucha.

The May program is the second test administered by KONI on athletes following a previous one held in early January, where as many as 173 athletes underwent a week-long test at Jatiluhur Reservoir in West Java.

Two members failed the test. In the following three months, a few more exited the training ground, the last being rower Lasmin.

The Southeast Sulawesi-based rower had to abandon his Asian Games dream due to injuries.

Indonesia plans to compete in 19 events at the Asiad, which will take place from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14.

The number of Indonesian athletes is currently 152, but will probably decrease after the next screening. The majority of athletes are training in Jakarta. A few of them have set up a training camp overseas.

"We will dispatch to Busan only those who have medal prospects. To obtain this goal, they must be physically and mentally prepared for the competition," Imron said. "Those who are unable to keep up with the pace must quit."

While signaling a strict policy for the screening, Imron offered morale boosters to those who fail.

"To those who can't get through, please hold your heads up. This is not a matter of liking or disliking. It's just that you can't meet the standards we have already agreed upon.

"You shouldn't lose heart. Instead, you must start to prepare for the next challenge at the 2003 SEA Games," he said, referring to the biennial event among Southeast Asian nations to be staged this time round in Vietnam.