PB WI Enhances Wushu Referee and Judge Quality Ahead of 2026 Asian Games
The International Wushu Federation (IWUF) is paying special attention to the development of wushu in Indonesia. This support serves as both an honour and a catalyst for the Indonesian Wushu Executive Board (PB WI) to continuously improve human resources, particularly in the refereeing and judging sectors.
Just under a week after being inaugurated by the Central Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), the PB WI for the 2026-2030 period moved swiftly. It organised an Indonesian Wushu Referee and Judge Training Course from 17-21 June 2026 at the Aloft Hotel in Kebun Jeruk, West Jakarta.
PB WI Chairman Airlangga Hartarto, who also serves as Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs in the Red and White Cabinet, attended the opening. He stressed the strategic value of the training, which involved four top experts from China appointed directly by the IWUF.
“This attention from the IWUF is an honour for Indonesian wushu. It is a form of global recognition for our achievements,” Airlangga stated on Thursday (18/6/2026).
The training was attended by 106 participants from 17 provincial WI boards across Indonesia. The main focus was not only on enhancing technical skills but also on deepening understanding of the latest competition regulations to maintain objectivity in the field.
Airlangga added that the quality of Indonesian human resources has now been recognised at the continental level. This is evidenced by the appointment of four Indonesian international referees by the Wushu Federation of Asia (WFA) to serve as International Technical Officers at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, this September.
As a preparatory step, the four referees are scheduled to depart for China on 4 July 2026 for advanced judges training.
PB WI Deputy Chairman Iwan Kwok explained that Indonesia is one of the countries with the highest number of referee representatives at the upcoming Asian Games, out of 20 participating nations. He emphasised that this appointment is a specific assignment from the WFA, not merely a delegation sent by Indonesia.
In its regeneration efforts, PB WI is prioritising former athletes to transition into officiating roles. One notable figure at the training course was former national athlete Edgar Xavier Marvelo.
“I have retired as an athlete. Now, I want to start a new path and pursue a career as a referee or judge to continue contributing to Indonesian wushu,” Edgar said.
With the synergy between international support and the commitment of the new board, PB WI is optimistic that the standard of wushu judging in the country will continue to improve and become globally competitive.