Organizers did not 'follow procedure'
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI) defended its suspension of competitors at the 2001 Siswaraga bodybuilding championships saying the organizers did not follow correct procedures in staging the event.
"PABBSI realizes that bodybuilders nationwide need more competitions to improve their performance. However, we think it would be better if competition organizers follow our regulations," PABBSI's head of bodybuilding technical commission Yopie Irawan told reporters on Wednesday.
Yopie was responding to world-class bodybuilder Ade Rai's statement saying that he would continue to stage competitions despite PABBSI's threat to suspend competitors at the forthcoming championship, to take place on Saturday at the Taman Ismail Marzuki, Central Jakarta.
"PABBSI will help parties who want to stage bodybuilding competitions but they must follow our rules especially concerning judging matters," Yopie said.
Ade, who cooperates with the Prestasi Anak Bangsa Foundation (YPAB) in staging the event, criticized PABBSI's decision saying such a threat would not do any good for young bodybuilders.
Yopie was also disappointed that Ade's statement did not recognize PABBSI's role in his past activities.
"Considering his popularity, I urge him to be wiser in this case. PABBSI supports his activities as long as he follows the regulations," he said.
PABBSI is organizing the 2001 Djoko Pramono Weider Cup bodybuilding tournament to be held in the Bali Room at Hotel Indonesia next Tuesday.
Separately, national squad coach Adi Wiharja said PABBSI still had trouble in helping weightlifters adapt to the new weight divisions for the Kuala Lumpur Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in September. PABBSI has set a target of five of the 13 golds at stake.
"Our biggest problem is to help athletes adapt to new weight classes which were changed since the Jakarta 1997 SEA Games. We have to decide which lifters need to add or reduce his or her weight," Adi said. "We'll evaluate lifters before changing their weights in order to get maximum results."
The new weight classes took effect in 1998 but Indonesian lifters have not yet had a chance to adapt as the 1999 Brunei Darussalam Games organizers did not stage weightlifting.
The men's weight divisions feature 56 kilograms, 62kg, 69kg, 77kg, 85kg, 94kg, 105kg and 115kg. The women's side feature 48kg, 53kg, 58kg, 60kg and 69kg weight classes.
"We hope to increase Lisa Rumbewas' weight from 48kg to 53kg to follow her growth. We can't force her to remain in her current weight class forever because that would not be natural," said Adi.
Head coach Ahmad Irawan Siregar said he was still waiting for three lifters from East Kalimantan to join weightlifting training centers in Lampung and Jakarta.
"There are six men and four women lifters with two coaches in Bandar Lampung while in Jakarta we have 11 men and five women lifters with five coaches," he said.
"Coach Lukman is currently in Hungary for a training session sponsored by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) through its Olympic Solidarity program. Adi is taking care of Lukman's position for the time being." (nvn)