RI to participate in 22 events as planned in Bangkok

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar said yesterday the council had not changed its mind about sending athletes from 22 sports to compete in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.

Wismoyo was commenting on State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman's call to reduce the number of sports Indonesia would contest at the Asiad due to the country's economic crisis.

"The minister's call was understandable due to the monetary situation," Wismoyo told reporters yesterday. "But if the council can send athletes from 22 sports, why not? The council must think of ways to finance the athletes to compete in the Asiad."

Hayono said Tuesday after attending President Soeharto's presentation of the government's draft budget that the council must reduce either the number of athletes or the number of events due to the limited funds available.

The National Development Planning Board has agreed to provide only Rp 2 billion (US$278,000) of the council's original budget of Rp 15 billion.

Hayono urged the council to only select potential medal winners to compete in the Asiad.

The 22 sports in which Indonesia will compete are track and field, badminton, boxing, canoeing, cycling, equestrian, fencing, soccer, gymnastics, judo, karate, rowing, sepak takraw, shooting, swimming, tae kwon do, tennis, volleyball, weightlifting, wrestling, wushu and yachting.

Hayono expressed pessimism about the private sector's ability to provide financial assistance to the Asiad squad because businesses were struggling in the face of the rupiah's downturn.

Wismoyo said the council would try to solve the financial problems for the long-term training programs by asking three provinces -- Jakarta, Central Java and East Java -- to stage decentralized training camps and that each sports organization would finance half of the training.

"We must be able to handle the monetary situation. The situation is influencing the preparations for the Asiad and sports development in the country.

"I, as the highest leader of sports organizations in the country, am still committed to reaching my target this year," he said.

Wismoyo said he understood the allocation of the State Budget for youth affairs and sports was Rp 71.5 billion, which was only 1.45 percent of the budget for the education, culture and religious affairs sector.

Although the figure is nominally higher than in the 1997/1998 budget, which was only Rp 70.6 billion, it is less in dollar terms.

"The council understands the situation and we'll accept the budget for national sports development without any complaints," he said.

Consortium

Separately, Enggartiasto Lukita, the funding and business deputy of the 19th SEA Games consortium, told reporters yesterday that the audited financial reports would be announced publicly in another two weeks.

"We know the reports will be late but we hope our public accountant can finish the auditing process in one or two weeks. The accountants still have to confirm to sticker sales and we'll let them work independently," he said.

"When the reports are finished, the consortium executive director will report the results to the SEA Games organizing chairman," he added.

Enggartiasto said the consortium still had a Rp 15 billion deficit, which might be increased due to the rupiah's downturn.

"The consortium has yet to receive funds from some sponsors because we breached the contracts during the SEA Games," he said.

Some venues allowed advertisements for companies not included in the five major sponsors of the SEA Games. (yan)