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Fri, 22 Oct 1999

JP/Sports council sets criteria of selection for PON host bids

Sports council sets criteria of selection for PON host bids

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council is drawing up criteria for the selection of a province other than frequent host Jakarta as the site of the 16th National Games (PON) in 2004.

KONI's vice chairman Arie Sudewo said on Thursday that the criteria would be adapted from the 18 main criteria set by the International Olympic Committee to stage a multisports event. KONI will adapt some of the criteria according to local conditions, he added.

Provincial governors and councillors from prospective cities are expected to become involved in the discussion on the ability of their provinces to host the Games.

"We are arranging the criteria, and hopefully the draft will be finished next Tuesday," Arie said.

West Java, Central Java, North Sumatra and South Sumatra have already declared their interest in hosting the Games in 2004.

Arie said KONI would later establish a team to observe and evaluate the preparations of each bidding province, including venues and transportation.

"We have to evaluate the four provinces objectively to determine which will host PON. We will choose the province which is the most prepared based on the results of the team's report."

He added that the governors of the four provinces were actively involved in the bidding process.

The 2000 Games, scheduled for June 19 to June 30, will take place in 10 areas of East Java -- the cities of Surabaya, Gresik, Sidoarjo, Kediri, Jember, Situbondo, Pasuruan, Bondowoso, plus Malang regency and Malang mayoralty.

The province projects the participation of 8,000 athletes and sports officials from 25 other provinces in the 12-day event, which is estimated to cost about Rp 35 billion (US$4.95 million), taken from the provincial budget of 1996/1997, 1997/1998 and 1998/1999. Participants will stay in some 200 three-star hotel in the different areas.

In the 1996 Games here, host Jakarta took the overall title with 141 golds, followed by West Java with 71 golds, East Java with 65 golds and Central Java with 32 golds. (ivy)