Sports council announces Busan 2002 athlete list

Novan Iman Santosa, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After several days of tense anticipation, the National Sports Council (KONI) announced on Tuesday a list of 171 athletes who will be vying for medals with the national team for the 2002 Asian Games in Busan (the city formerly known as Pusan), South Korea.

The roster also includes the names of 76 coaches, four of whom are foreigners, and managers.

All 41 athletes who were named last month to a list of medal hopefuls and have already begun intensive training, were on Tuesday's list as well.

"Most of the athletes and coaches to be sent to the Asian Games will be taken from this list. But we will still allow sports organizations to change their athletes based on recent achievements," Asian Games training director, Imron ZS, told reporters at KONI headquarters.

He said KONI had delayed the announcement because KONI had to wait for several sports organizations to submit their revised team lineups, including archery and tennis.

KONI had previously planned to announce the full list on Friday last week but then postponed it to Monday before Tuesday's announcement.

Meanwhile, veteran tennis players Yayuk Basuki and Romana Tedjakusuma have submitted their resignations, forcing the Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) to name Wukirasih Sowandari and Liza Andriyani.

Also opting out of the Asian Games training sessions are veteran archers Rusena Gelanteh and Lilies Handayani who resigned from the Asian Games squad. The Indonesian Archery Association (Perpani) then submitted Yuli Hidayana, Eniwati and Lusia Elizabeth Sumampouw.

The Indonesian Weightlifting, Heavylifting and Bodybuilding Association (PABBSI) has yet to name its athletes, because it is awaiting the outcome of the national championships slated for February 2002.

Imron said the list was not complete yet as KONI was still waiting for several sports organizations to submit the names of their foreign coaches.

Sports such as karate and rowing are still finalizing negotiations with foreign coaches.

Currently, the list contains wushu coach Wang Xian Kang from China, boxing coach Carlos Jesus Penate Torres from Cuba, gymnastics coach Rafael Figueroa Alcolea from Australia and beach volleyball coach Kenneth Michael Breen also from Australia.

The Asian Games squad is slated to be formalized on Jan. 15 and training with the team will start them, although the 41 medal hopefuls began training last month.

Imron also warned all athletes that being on the list did not guarantee an automatic berth on the national team.

"KONI will conduct three tests to evaluate athletes' progress in January, April or May and in July as we have to submit the entry forms (to Busan) in early August," he said.

"We will immediately dismiss any athletes if they fail any of the three tests or fail to show clear progress," he warned.

Imron also cautioned that the participation of a group of 77 young athletes on the list was entirely dependent on KONI's request for an Olympic Solidarity Grant for promising young athletes.

Intended to develop young athletes for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Busan Asian Games Organizing Committee (BAGOC) has made available, a fund of some US$70,000 for each country to assist young athletes in Olympic sports.

"KONI cannot pay for their (the 77 young athletes) presence in the training center if it fails to get the grant money," claimed Imron.