Olympic training set for February despite fund snag

JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said on Tuesday the organization would retain its commitment to a centralized training program for the 2000 Olympics despite lack of funds.

"We must start the training in February. It will be useless if we wait for the money, but we have no time left to prepare our athletes to compete in the Olympics," he said after a breaking-of-the-fast meal

"We hope the Gelora Senayan Management Board (BPGS) will disburse its Rp 2 billion (US$276,820) financial assistance in January so we can start the training a month later," said Wismoyo, who is also a member of the BPGS.

KONI requested Rp 5 billion from BPGS but the board approved funding of Rp 2 billion. KONI will need Rp 6.9 billion to prepare and send nearly 50 athletes to the Olympics in September in Sydney.

Wismoyo said that if there were fund constraints in the middle of the training, KONI would ask its provincial chapters and sports organizations to help by financing training programs for their athletes already qualified for the Olympics.

"We did the same thing for the 1999 Southeast Asian Games in Brunei Darussalam last August but it wasn't used to optimal effect. We need to urge and push them to help us more," he said.

A total of 13 Indonesian athletes have qualified for the Olympics from track and field, swimming, diving, weightlifting, archery, windsurfing and tae kwon do. KONI will include about 20 shuttlers for the Olympics.

Wismoyo acknowledge the lone hope for gold was in badminton, in which it won medals in the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

"However, we also have a chance to win medals in tae kwon do and windsurfing," he said.

Earlier Tuesday, KONI secretary general, Rudolf S. Warouw, mentioned archery, badminton, basketball, rowing, tennis, track and field and windsurfing sports organizations to receive regular funding from the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Olympic Solidarity fund to start courses for local coaches next year.

"The Olympic Solidarity fund asked for the coach courses schedule by the end of this year at the latest. I suggested the sports organizations invite regional coaches to attend the courses," Warouw said after meeting with representatives from five sports organizations.

Officials from the Indonesian Rowing Association (PODSI) and the Indonesian Yachting and Windsurfing Association (Porlasi) failed to show up at the meeting.

Warouw said Olympic Solidarity provided US$40,000 annually for the courses. Only Olympic sports qualify for the funds.

"Each sport is given $5,000 for holding a course. Courses are limited to 20 participants. If they want to invite more people than that, they should use their own bank account," he said.

Warouw said the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) had failed to hold courses this year, citing a tight schedule as the reason.

"They will start the course next year. They will still receive funding," he said.

When asked why basketball was receiving funds rather than other national sports whose athletes are appearing at the Olympics, Warouw said he was trying to improve basketball at the regional level.

"Basketball needs improvement so it can dominate at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games and Asian Games," he said.

Warouw also dismissed a report in a national weekly magazine alleging KONI and the office of the state minister of youth affairs and sports had issued a permit for PT Indo Argo to open electronic gambling centers.

"KONI has never issued a permit. If PT Indo Argo is seeking public funds, it should coordinate with the office of the state minister of youth affairs and sports. I don't know if KONI's provincial branches have issued permits to open gambling centers in their respective areas. So far, we have not received any reports on that issue," he said.

Gatra weekly reported in its Dec. 18 edition that PT Indo Argo had received a permit from KONI's chairman and the office of state minister of youth affairs and sports to open electronic gambling centers. It added the company had also received a permit from local authorities to open the places. (ivy/yan)