Reports of athletes using illegal drugs worry KONI

Reports of athletes using illegal drugs worry KONI

JAKARTA (JP): Reports of athletes involved in illegal drug use
have worried the National Sports Council (KONI).

In an effort to confirm that their athletes are clean, KONI
will conduct urine tests prior to the Olympics in Sydney in
September.

KONI secretary general Rudolf Warouw said Monday that the
urine tests were scheduled to take place before the centralized
training program began in March.

"I will check with the training executive director (Arie
Sudewo) on the schedule," he said.

Warouw was responding to reports claiming that some soccer and
badminton players were allegedly taking illegal drugs, like PSM
striker Kuncoro.

Kuncoro said he was persuaded by Persebaya player Mursyid
Effendi to inhale shabu shabu, but the Persebaya team accused
another PSM striker Kurniawan Dwi Julianto of being the one who
was offering the drugs.

Kurniawan was banned from competing in the 1999 Southeast
Asian (SEA) Games in Brunei Darussalam after he was positively
tested for amphetamine.

"We have asked both the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI)
and the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) to give us
written reports on the matter, but KONI has yet to receive them,"
Warouw said as quoted by Antara.

Separately, state minister of youth affairs and sports Mahadi
Sinambela and the Indonesian Archery Association (Perpani)
chairman Hayono Isman suspect that drug dealers are not only
looking for profit but are trying to undermine the nation's
morale.

"I'm very disappointed with our soccer players using illegal
drugs," Mahadi said.

"It is quite possible that some athletes want instant
results," he said, giving examples of Canadian sprinter Ben
Johnson and soccer superstar Maradona, who both used banned
substances during their career.

"The government must get involved in the situation. The
athletes' who take illegal drugs illustrate how fragile society
is when it comes to deterring young people from taking
narcotics," said Hayono, who is a former state minister of youth
affairs and sports.

"Sports are synonymous with the ongoing development of the
nation's athletes, and needs support from the government. I
suspect a camouflage movement to discredit the government."

"Usually drug dealers sell their stuff with more discretion,
to common citizens. Now they are selling their wares to the
sports community which is highly exposed. The psychological
impact is much greater when well-known athletes are caught using
illegal drugs."

Both Mahadi and Hayono were responding to reports at Suara
Pembaruan saying that drug dealers have sold shabu shabu in the
Ragunan sports school in South Jakarta.

Boxer Hermensen Ballo, who is preparing to go to the Olympics,
claimed he was offered shabu shabu gratis by persons staying at
the Graha Wisata Motel, located in the complex.

"I don't know why exactly the drugs were offered to me. But
the person said he would give them to me for nothing," he stated.

"But I turned him away. I said 'I haven't gone insane. You
better get out of here before I get angry'."

The school principal, R. Soerjadi, said he suspected his
athletes' were monkeying around with illegal substances because
there were people staying at the Graha Wisata who were allegedly
offering the drugs to students and athletes.

"We tested some of our athletes and the results were negative.
I plan to work with KONI to conduct urine tests in order to
further monitor the students' possible involvement with drugs."
(yan)