Persebaya players join Games training
JAKARTA (JP): More Persebaya players, who recently starred in the national soccer league, have joined their teammates in the SEA Games centralized soccer training program.
Anang Ma'ruf arrived in Jakarta yesterday to join fellow players Uston Nawawi, Aji Santoso and Chairil Anwar, who arrived last week from Surabaya.
Only Eri Irianto and Sugiantoro have yet to join the SEA Games training program.
Anang shrugged off yesterday allegations that he and some of the other Persebaya players had refused to join the centralized training program.
"It's only a misunderstanding between us and the soccer officials about our plans for the SEA Games," said Anang, as quoted by Antara.
A few days after their national soccer league victory, Persebaya's players were unsure whether they would take part in the ASEAN Champions Cup, or join the SEA Games team training.
Persebaya was set to play South Korean team Hyundai this month in the qualifying round of the Champions Cup, while Bandung Raya was to meet the winner of the qualifying round between Malaysia's Telekom and Thailand's Air Force in the Winners cup.
The All Indonesia Football Federation told Persebaya and Bandung Raya to abandon their plans for the two championships because it needed their key players to train for the fast approaching SEA Games.
The federation's coach Henk Wullens said he had called 32 footballers to start training for the biennial event.
"Only 20 players will make the final team," he said.
Another coach, Tumpak Sihite, said the SEA Games soccer team still needed to improve its teamwork.
"Young players like Uston and Anang still need to coordinate better with the senior players," he said.
The SEA Games men's soccer competition starts two days before the official opening of the Games.
Countries participating in the Games are divided into two groups. Group A comprises Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei and Singapore. Group B comprises Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Laos and the Philippines.
Rowing
Indonesian Rowing Association secretary-general Budiman Setiawan said that Lasmin -- the country's leading male rower -- would compete in the world rowing championships in Aguibellete, France.
The association is pinning its hopes on Lasmin in the SEA Games, the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok and the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
The world rowing championships will start on Aug. 28 and finish on Sept. 8.
The association last week named 104 rowers for the SEA Games team.
The team wants to win at least 23 gold medals in the 31 rowing events at the Games.
The team comprises 20 male rowers, 12 female rowers, 17 male canoeists, six female canoeists, 27 male traditional boat racers and 22 female traditional boat racers.
Rowing coach Dede Rohmat said the team was about to begin final preparations for athletes' specialization training based on the SEA games rowing events. (03)