SEAG medalists to get bonuses from tycoons
SEAG medalists to get bonuses from tycoons
JAKARTA (JP): Business tycoons will provide bonuses for Indonesian medal winners at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Chairman of the National Sports Council Wismoyo Arismunandar said.
Wismoyo told reporters yesterday that the council was planning to hold a meeting to discuss the matter with a group of well- known businesspeople before the departure of the national contingent to Chiang Mai.
He failed to confirm a date for the meeting, saying that it will be hard to contact the busy tycoons. "Anyway, we hope to reach agreement on the amount and the form of the bonuses before we leave for the games on Dec. 6," Wismoyo said.
The council invited 50 prominent entrepreneurs for a dinner in March and asked them to financially support all sports organizations under the council's auspices.
"Medal winning athletes will receive bonuses from their respective sponsors, not from us," Wismoyo said. "Mr. Mohammad Hasan, for example, is responsible for the track and field team," he said.
The tycoons covered the council's budget for the SEA Games which runs to Rp 18 billion. The council also got additional Rp 750 million from the government.
Wismoyo said last Friday that a gold medalist would receive Rp 25 million in cash, but he did not talk about the fates of silver and bronze medalists.
"It was just my idea. I had not even consulted my staff when I disclosed that," Wismoyo said yesterday.
A senior official of the council, Aribinuko Tjiptoadhidjojo, told The Jakarta Post on Monday that all medalists would get bonuses in the form of a five-year insurance policy. He said a gold medalist would bag Rp 25 million, a silver medalist Rp 15 million and a bronze medalist Rp 10 million.
These bonuses are much bigger than those awarded to medalists in the last Games. In 1993, the council awarded only Rp 1 million, Rp 750,000 and Rp 500,000 for each gold, silver, and bronze medal respectively.
Wismoyo also confirmed yesterday that President Soeharto will receive the national SEA Games contingent on Dec. 1 at the State Palace.
The national team for an international sporting meet has traditionally paid a courtesy call to President before their departure.
Indonesia will parade 470 sportsmen and women who will compete in 26 of 28 medal events in the Dec. 9-17 Games. The contingent will include 108 coaches and 111 officials. Indonesia has set its sights on winning 30 per cent of the 334 gold medals at stake to defend the SEA Games overall title.
Gymnastic, cycling and table tennis teams will miss the meeting with Soeharto because they will not return home from their overseas stint. Instead, they will fly directly to Chiang Mai.
The council will also gather the whole team for a quiet night together before the athletes leave for the Games. Wismoyo said he had yet to decide on a the date for the program. (amd)