Sports development for national pride

Recently, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY) kicked off a campaign to popularize sports. This campaign is welcomed particularly because the fact is our sporting reputation has been declining during the past few years, or maybe decades.

As a developing nation, our development has been focused on the economy, struggling out of a crisis in part caused by our miscalculations, but improvements have been transparently achieved even though slight.

Our sports reputation has been marred by brawls, intensive crash programs and continuous defeats that discourage public trust toward our sporting contingents.

Recently, television has broadcast soccer matches, which showed antiriot police clubbing spectators and breaking up fights between players. Our legendary badminton squad, which had once dominated the world during the 1960s and 1970s has to admit defeat -- causing disappointment for the fanatic supporters, who are always expecting magnificent triumphs, celebrated with glory and fame.

It is during this multi-crisis period that a victory from our athletes that could cure our mind-set, which is entrapped by the nightmare of sporting disasters. Will the golden era of sports end? Under SBY's government, hope prevails, while the public awaits the athletes, contingents and heroes to defend their nation and return home victoriously with a trophy boosting our nation's reputation and entertaining the public during a time of crisis.

Besides trophies, the system is a matter that we must evaluate. The management, the recruitment, the training and also the funding that determines the performance as it is now.

Every five years, the National Games (PON) is held and participated in by teams from every province. It is during the PON that each province has the chance to prove their supremacy by winning medals. As a national event, it is also noticed a business opportunity.

Many sports fans optimistically support the President's attempt to popularize sports, and expect it to be a part of our national development. Are victories not also considered development?

When will Indonesia enter even the semifinals of the Asian Football (soccer) Championship, or when will an Indonesian win the Wimbledon Tennis Championship? If it becomes a reality, the public will definitely be pleased and proud.

NINO MANUWOTO Bogor, West Java fx; ANPAc..r..

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