RI has Olympic funding problems

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's Olympic training executive director, Arie Sudewo, said on Friday he was still facing difficulties arranging the funding for the country's preparations for the event.

"We'll call officials from 10 sports organizations to discuss the arrangements for funding the Olympic training program," he said in Cipayung, East Jakarta, where he was observing the training for badminton's Uber Cup.

The National Sports Council, of which Arie is vice chairman, received Rp 2 billion (US$264,900) from the Gelora Senayan Management Board, and has another Rp 500 million left over from the budget for the 1999 Southeast Asian Games for the Olympic training.

KONI estimates 55 athletes from 10 sports -- track and field, badminton, tennis, swimming and diving, windsurfing, archery, tae kwon do, weightlifting, boxing and judo -- will compete in the Olympics. So far, only boxing and judo have not yet qualified their athletes for the Olympics. (yan)