Sports council to decide on Sandry's Asian Games trip

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Sports Council (KONI) said that it had allowed itself time to wait for the latest development in Sandry Liong's fitness before deciding whether the wushu hopeful should proceed to the Asian Games.

"We are still waiting for the doctor's report," Indonesian contingent's Chef de Mission Rudolf S. Warouw said here on Tuesday.

Warouw and other KONI officials met their counterparts from RCTI at KONI headquarters in line with the television channel's arrangement for live broadcasting from the Asian Games, to be held in Busan, South Korea.

The two-week Asian Games will start on Sept. 29. Indonesia will send 100 athletes to compete in 20 sports. However, the number could reduce to 99 if Sandry failed to recover from his injury in time.

"We are anxious to see him fit again. He will be too good to be left behind because he is one of the athletes we can rely on to win a medal," Warouw said.

Warouw's statement dispelled media reports that Sandry had already been eliminated from the contingent.

Sandry sustained a backbone injury while practicing during his month-long China outing, which was the last of three tryouts engaged in by the wushu team in its preparations for the Asian Games.

Sandry won one of the 13 gold medals the team was awarded in its warmup competition at the Afro-Asia championship in Cairo, Egypt, in July.

He is one of seven chosen for the Busan trip. The other six are Alexander Edward Marentek, Arif Harsoyo, Seno Prakoso, Dwi Arimbi, Nurdiana and Susyana.

Chairman of the Indonesian Wushu Association Mediteransyah said that Wednesday should seal Sandry's fate when medical attendant for the contingent Dr. Tugini was expected to deliver his report.

He said that he was not too worried about the team's medal prospects should Sandry be barred on medical grounds.

"We still have Seno; he is as tough as Sandry," he told The Jakarta Post.

After its impressive performance in Cairo and a workout in China, the team, according to Mediteransyah, would be seeking three medals in Busan.

"We are confident about three medals, possibly from Seno, Dwi, Susyana, Arif or Alex," he said.

But he did not specifically state what kind of medal. He only said, "The draw will determine our athletes' medal hopes. If they are paired with really tough opponents in the semifinals, we are resigned to their winning a bronze."