PSSI concentrating on Tiger Cup, not Asian Games

PSSI concentrating on Tiger Cup, not Asian Games

JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) is
focusing on training the national team for the Tiger Cup here in
September rather than the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in
December.

Nirwan Bakrie, the federation's director, said Sunday that
whether the team would participate in the Asian Games or not
would be considered after the Tiger Cup.

"We will decide whether to take part in the Asian Games after
the Tiger Cup because our priority is the Tiger Cup. We have no
plans to send our team to the Bangkok Games," Nirwan said during
a breaking of the fast gathering Sunday.

Nirwan said the players would begin training in February for
the Tiger Cup.

"The players will come from the SEA Games team."

Nirwan said the federation had yet to decide who would coach
the team as it was still considering a proposal from Henk
Wullems. Wullems has proposed that he be paid in U.S dollars, due
to the current currency situation.

"We will hold a meeting on Feb. 5 with the local clubs. The
meeting will also discuss sponsorship seeing the promoter (PT
Cipta Citra Senindo) has withdrawn from the Indonesian league and
will not submit a Rp 5.3 billion subsidy to the clubs," Nirwan
said.

Referring to the promotion situation, Nirwan urged State
Minister for Youth Affairs and Sport Hayono Isman to help owners
of local clubs find funds.

"We are grateful that the minister asked the local clubs to
develop soccer," Nirwan said as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Weightlifting Association has said
it will not insist on taking part in the Bangkok Games should the
Indonesian Sports Council (KONI) not want it to send athletes.

Budi Santoso, the association's general affairs director, said
yesterday that this statement was a response to President
Soeharto's instruction that only sports with good medal prospects
were to go to the Games.

Budi said the association had prepared 12 weightlifters for
the Asian Games but if KONI wanted to restrict their number to
four, it would send only four.

"We will abide by KONI rules. We will be ready with our
athletes if suddenly KONI wants to send weightlifters to the
Asian Games," he said.

Adolf Warouw, KONI's secretary-general, said he thought
weightlifters had the potential to capture gold medals at the
Asian Games.

"Of the 21 sports KONI chairman Wismoyo Arismundar suggested,
eight are more likely to grab gold medals. Badminton,
weightlifting and windsurfing are among them." he said. (lnt)