Pertina undecided on boxing team

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Amateur Boxing Association (Pertina) is still undecided about which boxers to select for its sole overseas tryout at the Arafura Games this month in Darwin, Australia, as the National Sports Council (KONI) has yet to advise the association about the budget for the event.

"Pertina is still waiting for KONI's confirmation on boxers expenses for the May 19 to May 26 event. I wonder what is taking KONI so long to announce it," Pertina's deputy secretary-general Didit Soedijoto told reporters on Tuesday.

"We can't decide on the number of boxers until we have a fixed budget. We can't afford to send many boxers if expenses turn out to be too high."

Pertina decided to send boxers to the Arafura Games to prepare them for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur from Sept. 8 to Sept. 17.

"Australian boxers are quite tough and it would be ideal for us to send most of the boxers there. But since Pertina doesn't have enough money, we'll only send four or five boxers," Didit said.

"Technically speaking, our boxers are ready to compete in Darwin, although they haven't reached their peak performance yet. We expect them to reach peak form in Kuala Lumpur."

Didit said the Indian Amateur Boxing Association had sent a letter informing of the cancellation of a boxing tournament in Calcutta due to a local general election.

Besides Pertina, several other sports organizations have also, at KONI's expense, set the Arafura Games as a trial session for athletes prior to the SEA Games.

KONI, however, is facing financial restraints in preparing the Indonesian contingent for Kuala Lumpur.

Separately, KONI vice chairman Arie Sudewo told reporters that the association was making a list of sports organizations with the financial ability to finance their own trial sessions.

"So far we have listed 16 sports organizations that have the ability and we are urging them to use their own money.

"KONI will only concentrate on organizations with less financial ability for overseas training stints. We'll try to find alternative sources for them."

With a total budget of some Rp 77 billion (US$6.6 million), KONI has allocated about Rp 48 billion for the third stage alone, which includes the core team and a series of tryout sessions.

So far KONI has only secured some Rp 25 billion, comprising Rp 10 billion from the Bung Karno Sports Complex management board (BPGBK), Rp 5.5 billion from the government and Rp 10 billion from state Bank Mandiri. (nvn)