RI eying SEAG volleyball win

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's men's volleyball team is gunning to complete a golden hat trick at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, despite the absence of seasoned spiker Imam Agus Faizal.

"Without him (Imam), we will have a weakened team, but it will not hinder our title defense attempt," national team captain Loudry Maspaetella said yesterday.

Imam, or Fafa as his friends call him, skipped the centralized training program due to his job commitment with the state-owned bank BNI 46. Coach Wienarto said that a National Sports Council official, who has a top post at the bank, asked for time off on Fafa's behalf but the bank has yet to reply.

"It's too late now for Fafa to join the team," Wienarto said. His squad will tour Java, starting next Friday, for a series of try-out matches. (amd)