Soaring dollar curtails sports bodies' training

JAKARTA (JP): The soaring value of the American dollar against the local currency has added further salt in the wounds of national sports organizations struggling to stage training programs for the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in December.

The National Sports Council's task force chairman, Muhammad Hindarto, said that most of the representatives of five sports organizations who met him yesterday admitted they faced financial problems in staging the training.

"The council and the organizations agreed to jointly finance the training but the amount will be different from one organization to another," said Hindarto, who declined to mention any figures.

The Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association, the Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding Association, the Indonesian Fencing Association, the Indonesian Cycling Association and the Indonesian Rowing and Canoeing Association officials each met the task force to discuss their programs and problems regarding the Asiad training.

"Some rich sports organization, including track, equestrian, gymnastics and swimming, will have to finance their training by themselves. But the council will provide a part of the total training budget for other organizations," said Hindarto, who is also the council's athletes development deputy.

Three provinces -- Jakarta, East Java and Central Java -- have agreed to stage training programs. But the council has yet to decide which provinces will host what sports.

Track and field

Pieter F. Noya, the track association's head coach, told reporters after the meeting that his organization was grooming 39 athletes for the Asiad, but would probably only send 12 to compete in 44 events.

The association plans to send the 12 athletes to the Asian Athletics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, in July to test their progress.

The 12 athletes are Agus Reza Irawan (long jump), Sugeng Jatmiko (tripple jump), Nunung Jayadi and Hendiarsin Oslan (pole vault), Sutrisno (walking) and Eduardus Nabunome (marathon) on the men's side. On the women's side are Supriati Sutono (5,000 and 10,000m), Ester Sumah (800m), Ni Nyoman Rai (triple jump), Tersiana Riwu Rohi (walking) and Yanes Raubaba (200m).

The selection was based on the results of the East Asia championships, the Kazakhstan Open and the Chinese Taipei Open in 1997. Pieter said he also considered the results of Asian athletes in the World Championships in Greece and the Chinese national championships.

The training started at the end of last year in Jakarta and the Pengalengan tea plantation in West Java.

"If they can perform better in Fukuoka, I think they have a chance to win the medal," Pieter said.

The association also plans to send the athletes to compete in the Philippines Open in May and the Chinese Taipei Open in June.

Weightlifting

The weightlifting association has decided not to employ a foreign coach for its lifters.

Its secretary-general, Djoko Pramono, said that the association would rely on coaches Imron Rosadi and Harry Wibowo to groom the athletes for the Asiad.

"We won't send the lifters to compete in international events because we're focusing them on the Asiad. Our athletes have competed in international events three or four times and many of them have won Asian Games medals," said Djoko.

The association has been grooming 12 athletes -- Sri Indriyani, Winarni, Sriyani, Supeni and Fatmawati on the women's side and Herry Setiawan, Taufik, Misdan, Zulkarnaen, Sutrisno, Erwin Abdullah and Joko Hanggono on the men's side -- since November in its Pringsewu training center, Lampung, and Gadog training center, West Java.

Djoko said the council would provide Rp 8 million (US$1,200) each month while the association would provide Rp 12 million.

Cycling

The cycling association still has to discuss which events the cyclists will compete in after it learned that Indonesia's strongest events were not included in the Asiad.

Association official Didi Sedijanto said that Indonesia would have to withdraw from competing in the men's Olympic sprint and women's 500m individual time trial and the women's point race.

"The officials will discuss which events we will compete in before we report to the council on Monday. But our chances of winning medals will be less," he said.

The association had planned to groom the Setiawan brothers, Herry Janto, Henky and Henry, and Nurhayati on the women's side.

The Asiad organizers are still staging mountain bike events.

"We'll send our mountain bikers to compete because we were the runner-up after Japan in the Asian championships in December," Didi said.

The association, which will finance the training equally with the council will also stage four championships this year as preparation for the Asiad.

Budiman Setiawan of the rowing and canoeing association said eight male and two female rowers and four male and two female kayakers have been groomed for the Asiad.

They will compete in nine events: the men's 500m kayak-2, 1,000m kayak-2, 1,000m kayak-4, the women's 500m kayak-2, the men's lightweight single sculls, lightweight double sculls, lightweight coxless fours, open singles sculls and the women's lightweight double sculls.

The association will provide 30 percent of the training total budget while the council will provide 70 percent.

The fencing association is grooming six female athletes; four in pe and two in foil.

The association is providing 40 percent of the budget while the council will pay the rest. (yan)