PABBSI pushing for eight slots for Busan
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI) is vying for eight places in the national sporting squad for the 2002 Asian Games, according to an official on Monday.
The National Sports Council (KONI) formerly signaled that it would accommodate only six bodybuilders, to add to its 169-member list.
"We will be seeking to negotiate with KONI so that the best eight bodybuilders are allowed to join the training center," PABBSI's secretary-general, Gandrung, told The Jakarta Post.
The eight candidates are Ade Rai (90+ kilograms), Wimpie (90kg), Yanda (80kg), Kusworo Hadi (85kg), Hendra (75kg), Fuady (70kg), Syafrizaldi (65kg) and Asrelawandi (60kg).
They won their respective categories at the National Bodybuilding Championships here at the weekend.
"What we have in mind is that they deserve a chance to follow up on what they have achieved at the national level. They should be given a place to prove themselves at a higher level of competition.
"They have passed a tight selection process and I hope KONI is able to accommodate their potential," Gandrung said, adding that he would propose the names of the candidates immediately.
Steve Tengko, an official in charge of development affairs, disclosed a plan for the athletes to take part in a regional tournament so as to try them out.
The Southeast Asian Bodybuilding Championships is scheduled to run from May 24 to May 27 in Malaka, Malaysia.
"They have yet to prove that they deserve inclusion in the team," he said. He added that he did not rule out elimination if an athlete fared below par.
Bodybuilding has drawn a lot of interest from event organizers, both at the regional and continental level.
The last regional competition was the 1997 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Jakarta where Indonesia won three of the eight golds on offer thanks to Ade Rai, Wimpie and Asrelawandi.
The 2002 Asian Games, which will run from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14 in Busan, South Korea, will be the first bodybuilding competition to be held at an Asian multi-sport event.
Gandrung said that the sport would also be contested at the Olympics for the first time when Athens, Greece, hosts the global event in 2004.
"They should by now be preparing hard for Busan, with the 2004 Olympics already in mind," Gandrung said.
Among the Indonesian contenders, Ade Rai is favorite in the medal hunt given his past record, which includes his victory at Musclemania 2000, the world's unofficial bodybuilding championships, which was held in the United States.