SEAG medalists to get bonuses in form of insurance
SEAG medalists to get bonuses in form of insurance
JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council (KONI) will award Rp
25 million (US$ 11,300) in the form of a five-year insurance
policy to each Indonesian athlete that wins a gold medal at the
18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
The recipients may take Rp 5 million every year, along with
the interest. If they die before the five-year period ends, their
families or parents will take all the money, Aribinuko
Tjiptoadhidjojo, a KONI senior official, told The Jakarta Post
yesterday.
He said the award is intended to motivate Indonesia's athletes
to do their best at the Dec. 9-17 games.
KONI has named the Tugu Pratama insurance company to disburse
the bonuses.
Wismoyo said that the bonuses were a token of appreciation and
not a carrot and stick technique.
The award is also meant to show that it can pay to become an
athlete, and that being an athlete is by no means an inferior
occupation, Aribinuko said.
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Hayono Isman, supports
the idea of awarding athletes with insurance and even suggested
that the move be made official in the form of a decree.
Aribinuko was detailing what KONI chairman Wismoyo
Arismunandar said last Friday. Wismoyo promised a Rp 25 million
cash bonus to an individual event gold medalist or a team event
gold medal winner. He gave no information as to the amount of
money to be given to silver and bronze medalists.
Aribinuko said that silver and bronze medalists might be
entitled to Rp 15 million and Rp 10 million respectively, also
through the same approach.
For those who win gold medals at the Asian Games or the
Olympic Games, the award could amount to Rp 250 million and Rp 1
billion respectively, he said, adding that the amounts were still
being discussed.
However, when Togi Hutagaol, KONI's planning and budgeting
director, and Arie Sudewo, one of Wismoyo's deputies, were asked
to confirm the amounts, both said that KONI had not made any
final decisions.
"This is still in the preliminary stages. We're still
discussing it," said Arie. No agreement has been made between
KONI and Tugu Pratama, which is controlled by timber tycoon
Mohammad Hasan.
Meanwhile, the national team, fresh from its riotous 2-0 win
over PSIS Semarang, is on the prowl for its final SEA Games warm-
up against the EA Mangindaan All Stars of Manado, North Sulawesi.
The Manado side is heavily fortified by import booters
Cameroon legend Roger Milla, Maboang Kesaack, Miodrag Glusevic,
Accardi and Brazilian Carlos de Mello.
The friendly will be held tomorrow, the 85th birthday of EA
Mangindaan, the founder of the All Indonesia Soccer Federation.
(arf)