Sports council strives to get more Games funds

Sports council strives to get more Games funds

JAKARTA (JP): The National Sports Council said yesterday it
would have to borrow money for Southeast Asian (SEA) Games
training because of a cash shortage.

National training director Djoko Pramono said the council had
so far got only Rp 16.5 billion (US$6,31 million) of the Rp 35
billion the SEA Games consortium had pledged.

Djoko reported the problem to the House of Representatives'
Commission IX for religion, education and sports during its visit
to Bogor to check the progress of SEA Games weightlifters.

"We need a bigger budget for the costly SEA Games'
preparations to train our athletes with proper accommodation and
qualified coaches," he said.

Indonesian Democratic Party legislator Sukowaluyo
Mintorahardjo called on the National Sports Council to report to
the President on the shortage of funds.

"The allocated funds are small compared to the nation's
reputation to successfully organize the 19th SEA Games," he said.

Speaking on the controversial sale of SEA Games stickers
Golkar legislator Anwar Ilmar said during his visit to the
Badminton Training Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta, that the SEA
Games consortium had to control sticker sales itself to avoid the
any manipulation.

"It's not the amount, but where the people's money goes and
what it is used for that counts," he said.

Anwar urged local companies to be more active in the fund
raising by donating money directly to the council's treasurer.

"If they don't trust the consortium, they can transfer the
money to the council's saving account. It's much safer," he said.

"I believe the council has no intention of taking advantage of
donated money because it needs it to stage the Games and to groom
the athletes," said the former deputy Jakarta governor.

Meanwhile, the council's deputy, Arie Soedewo, denied the
consortium had not yet paid a Cyprus supervisor from American
company Astro Turf, which was appointed to build the synthetic
hockey field.

"I have checked the problem myself but the consortium said it
had paid the builder," he said.

The consortium reportedly promised to pay Seppos US$12,000 in
advance but an Indonesian Hockey Association official said Seppos
had not received the money.

Arie said Seppos had asked permission to return home. He also
said Seppos did not need to supervise the construction every day.

Athletes

Veteran shuttler Joko Suprianto urged legislators to consider
athletes' futures by providing a life-time monthly pension.

Anwar promised to take the suggestion to the State Budget
Commission.

"We can also urge the President to issue a presidential decree
on the problem," he said.

The pension could be divided into three categories: Olympic
medalists, Asian Games medalists and SEA Games medalists, he
said.

"The amount and the period for each category can be discussed
in the future but I think we can't provide a life-time pension,"
Anwar said.

Citing an example, Anwar said when he was with the city
administration it provided scholarships and jobs to athletes who
won medals at the National Games.

Thirty weightlifters are now being groomed in two separate
centralized training centers in Bogor, supervised by Bulgarian
Nedeltcho Koley, and in Lampung under coach Imron Rosadi.

The Indonesian Weightlifting, Powerlifting and Bodybuilding
Association's chairman, Soesilo Soedarman, said the lifters, some
of them regional and world champions, were ready for the SEA
Games.

"Our weightlifters have recently set new national and SEA
Games records during their exercises in the two training
centers," said Soesilo, who is also Coordinating Minister for
Political Affairs and Security.

Badminton coaches said they hoped the council could change the
SEA Games Executive Committee Meeting's decision on the number of
shuttlers each country could send.

This year only 14 shuttlers can represent a country, two
players less than at the last Games.

Men's doubles coach Atik Djauhari said there were two
possibilities in selecting the shuttlers.

"We can pick three singles, three doubles and one mixed
doubles players or two singles, four doubles and one mixed
doubles players," he said.

Atik said Indonesia's best chances for gold medals were in the
men's and women's singles, the women's doubles and mixed doubles.
(03/yan)