NPC Indonesia stresses importance of synergy with Youth and Sports Ministry
The National Paralympic Committee of Indonesia (NPC Indonesia) has stressed the importance of synergy with the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenpora) to ensure that the development of elite disability sports is accountable and well targeted.
The statement was issued by NPC Indonesia in response to public discussion on social media regarding fundraising carried out by a number of deaf or hearing-impaired disabled athletes to take part in international championships.
In a statement received in Jakarta on Monday (31/8), NPC Indonesia affirmed that central government support through Kemenpora has so far been delivered optimally.
They also noted that athletes who have achieved results, as well as young athletes with promising prospects, receive facilities to compete in various international championships.
Head of the Legal Department of NPC Indonesia, Satriawan Sulaksono, said that sending athletes to international championships, both at Asian and world level, is carried out through long-term planning and a consolidation process with Kemenpora.
“The participation of NPC Indonesia athletes in international championships is part of a series of trials for the national training camp towards the Paralympics, which aims to collect points to meet qualification requirements, through a prior planning and review process with Kemenpora,” said Satriawan.
Satriawan added that the selection of championships attended by athletes and the NPC Indonesia contingent must go through a consolidation process between the governing organisation and Kemenpora. Thus, athlete departures are not decided unilaterally, but are based on planning and performance evaluation.
Regarding the development of deaf or hearing-impaired athletes, Satriawan said that membership status of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) is a requirement for a country to send a contingent to the international deaf sports event, the Deaflympics.
“Just as NPC Indonesia operates under the IPC, APC and APSF, the development of elite deaf sports in Indonesia should be under an organisation recognised by the ICSD as the highest body for deaf sports,” said Satriawan.
He also asked deaf athletes who wish to excel at international level not to worry about government support.
“The government, through Kemenpora, is highly committed to supporting the progress and achievements of disability sports, both at national and international level,” said Satriawan.
According to Satriawan, administrative and consolidation steps need to be completed promptly so that the issue does not cause confusion in the public sphere.
He also expressed hope that all deaf athletes can unite under an organisation with international recognition so that technical preparations and facility needs can be coordinated in a structured manner with Kemenpora.
In Indonesia, the organisation said to hold ICSD-recognised membership is Patrin (the Indonesian Deaf Athletes Association).
“We hope that all deaf athletes who are currently active can join or communicate with Patrin, so that they can take part in international events that are organised,” said Satriawan.
Deputy Secretary General of NPC Indonesia, Rima Ferdianto, stressed that NPC Indonesia cannot intervene in the issue that is now under public discussion because NPC Indonesia and Patrin operate under different international organisations.
“Kemenpora has also invited the organisation that has the right to handle deaf athletes to bring all legalities and documents, to show that they are members of the international federation. So actually this matter is already clear that deaf athletes are not sent by NPC Indonesia, but by the national deaf federation called Patrin,” said Rima.
Rima continued that every sending of athletes abroad must go through a review process to ensure that the athletes being sent meet the required performance basis or time records.
“So it cannot be decided by just one party, because so far that is how it has always been between us and Kemenpora. Whoever we send is always based on the athletes’ achievements or time records,” he said.
Meanwhile, NPC Indonesia is currently focused on preparing athletes for the 2026 Asian Para Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, scheduled to take place on 18-24 October 2026.
Kemenpora has also confirmed that Indonesian athletes, coaches and officials will travel to Japan using a specially chartered aircraft for a direct flight to Nagoya.