Spiker Fafa to join national training camp

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI) has called on Imam Agus Faizal to join his teammates at the centralized training camp for the coming SEA Games here.

An association official said Thursday that Faizal, who is commonly referred to as Fafa, had to postpone joining the training because of his work commitment at the state bank BNI '46.

"Fafa's office has allowed him to take a temporary leave of absence to join the training. We hope he can start on Jan. 5," the official said.

Fafa is the son of the late Paijo, a former goalkeeper for the national soccer team. He is a good spiker, with hard smashes. He is included as one of the seniors among the 16 players. Together with Endry Oktoviantono and Dennis Taroreh, Fafa is considered among the country's best spikers. His smashes most of the time could not be blocked by opponents. This skill allows him the freedom to successfully maneuver the ball in any direction.

PBSVI has decided to hold the training session at the volleyball hall in Sentul, near Bogor.

Besides Fafa, PBSVI has also called on two other senior players, Loudry A Maspaitella and Endry Oktoviantono, to join the training. There are 29 players altogether, 16 men and 13 women, who will undergo a series of training sessions before the Games.

The national volleyball controlling body expects the men's team to capture a gold medal and the women's team a silver in the 19th SEA Games, to be held here in October this year.

Indonesia only managed to capture a gold medal in the 1993 Games in Singapore. In the 18th Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, the men's team was only able to grab a bronze, while the women players finished in fourth place. (lnt)