'Sports city' still distant dream

'Sports city' still distant dream

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Any hopes of turning Jakarta into a "sports city" will remain
little more than dreams if the city administration does not
provide adequate infrastructure.

University of Indonesia sociologist Imam B. Prasodjo said
during a seminar titled "Jakarta as a sports city" on Wednesday
that in reality sports infrastructure in the capital was still
very limited.

"Therefore, I would suggest that the administration provides
sports facilities for badminton, tabletennis, for example, in
every subdistrict," he said as quoted by Antara.

Imam said that providing such facilities at the community
level would encourage wider public participation in sport.

Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo said the government's role must be
limited to that a facilitator and regulator of sports
development.

He pointed out that the country's political parties needed to
include sports development in their manifestos.

"Parties must show concern for sports development. Without
this, the legislators in the House of Representatives might just
as well omit sports from the State Budget. In reality, however,
budgetary funding is very important for sports development," he
said.

According to Fauzi, the private sector must also become
involved in the issue.

"Thus far, they always think that they have to give away money
whenever someone mentions sports development. It shouldn't be
that way," he said. "They could advise KONI and the government on
how to market sport in attractive ways."