SEA Games venues likely to be completed in time

JAKARTA (JP): With only 36 days until the start of the 19th SEA Games here, the big question is whether the organizing committee can get the venues ready on time.

Games training director Djoko Pramono, who inspected nine venues yesterday, said that all the venues he had just seen -- the badminton hall, basketball hall, fencing hall, judo hall, wrestling hall, hockey field, archery field, squash courts, and softball field -- would be ready by the end of this month.

"I have spoken to the foremen and they have promised to speed up work so they are finished by mid-September, except for the badminton hall. The badminton organizers will start work next week," he said.

"I expect all venues to be ready on, at least, Sept. 20 to enable our athletes try them in their preparation for the Games," he said.

The Games, which will start on Oct. 11 and end on Oct. 19, will feature 34 sports events at the Senayan sports complex and other sports halls in the city. Some competitions will be held at venues outside the capital.

Djoko said he would report his observations to National Sports Council chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar.

"I'm not authorized to do anything about the venues, but I am interested in seeing them finished for my athletes' sakes," he said.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said he hoped to see all the venues finished on time.

"I will visit all the venues soon to check on the progress of the renovations. But I'm sure they will all be ready in time," he said.

"Considering the country's economic situation, we must do our best to finish them all on time. The organizers must focus on budget efficiency. They should not increase the budget for the Games," he added.

Below standard

The badminton hall on Jl. Asia Afrika, next to the nearly completed Mulia Hotel does not meet IBF requirements.

Its seven courts need resurfacing because many national players complained of injuries last year during the National Games.

The hall also needs more seating as it can only accommodate 3,000 spectators.

One of the badminton organizers, Minarni, said there were plans to close several courts to make room for extra seats.

Extra lights, and air conditioners will be installed for the player's comfort.

The basketball hall renovations are 75 percent complete. The hall only needs paint on the outside walls and the toilets fixed.

The hall's roof has arrived and will soon be in place.

The organizers will install more lights and portable air conditioners for the Games. The hall will be finished on Sept. 25.

The fencing hall, which is also used by the public to play badminton, will be closed on Sept. 12 for three days while matting is installed.

Suratmin, the fencing competition deputy, said the matting had been bought for the 1996 National Games. It has been stored at the velodrome.

"Our athletes (fencers) will return home from Rumania on Sept. 25. They will have one day of rest before they begin training at the hall," he said.

The judo hall is 80 percent ready and only needs lights and exhaust fans. It will be finished on Sept. 15.

The wrestling hall still needs a lot of work with two rings yet to be set up.

Some of the seating has to be dismantled to make room for the arena. Air conditioning has also still to be installed.

The hockey field, which has sparked controversy over the last few months, is all but ready.

The turf installation should be completed on Sept. 15.

Repairs to the changing rooms, the toilets, and the medical room are scheduled to finish on Oct. 1.

The archery field needs no work but spectator seating needs to be installed and the secretariat room has yet to be finished, it should be ready by Sept. 21.

Only one court at the squash hall is ready for use. The hall needs five courts for the Games.

But the foreman said four courts would be ready on Sept. 15. He said the main court would be finished by the end of the month.

The softball field will be ready in a week, but the seating will not be ready until Sept. 15.

Djoko said that if only Indonesia had a special budget to maintain sporting facilities, the Games organizers would not have to spend so much money renovating the venues. (yan)