Sutiyoso threatens to banish athletic 'defectors'

Sutiyoso threatens to banish athletic 'defectors'

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Palembang

Despite Jakarta's formidable run at the underway National
Games (PON), Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso could not hide his
irritation over other teams' successes in particular sports that
he believed had come at his administration's cost.

Sutiyoso said there were many athletes who held Jakarta ID
cards but refused to play for the capital's team.

"They instead opted to represent other provinces as they were
lured away by promises of huge bonuses," Sutiyoso said after the
medals ceremony in the karate competition at the Ranau Gymnastic
Hall here on Saturday.

"I am considering cancelling their ID cards as they have shown
they are willing to take money to support other provinces," he
said.

Swimmer Albert C. Sutanto, who was among this year's
Indonesia's Athens Olympic team, his brother Felix C. Sutanto and
sister Margaretha Sutanto are currently representing the National
Games host South Sumatra, although they originally come from
Jakarta.

They reside in Jakarta and all have Jakarta ID cards.
Spearheaded by the siblings, South Sumatra won five gold medals
in the swimming events compared to Jakarta's three.

Young swimmer Akbar Nasution, who has won eight gold medals
for Jambi, also holds a Jakarta ID.

"By this decision (the threat of ID cancellation), I want to
make Jakarta's athletes feel proud in playing for Jakarta in this
PON," he said, adding that he would provide bigger bonuses to
Jakarta athletes than offered by other provinces.

"I have heard East Java will give Rp 55 million (US$6,111) to
its gold medalists... Jakarta will give a bigger bonus than that
but we have yet to decide the amount," Sutiyoso said.

Jakarta had been the dominant force in the quadrennial
national sporting showcase until the 2000 Games when host East
Java toppled it from its perch.

At the current Games, which run from Sept. 2 to 14, Jakarta is
leading the medal table. As of 2.45 p.m. on Saturday, it topped
the medal tally with a 98 gold medal haul, far ahead of its
rivals West Java and defending champion East Java, which followed
in second and third with 59 and 53 golds respectively.

Despite the troublesome defections, Sutiyoso was in good
spirits about the prospects for Jakarta of regaining its crown.

"I think we have made the right step by putting aside a total
of Rp 150 billion from the city budget for sports development
programs in Jakarta," he said.

However, Sutiyoso was not pleased about all Jakarta's results.

In table tennis, Jakarta ended up empty handed with East
Java's athletes making a clean sweep of the golds on offer.

The meager gold collection in swimming had also made him fume.

"We will evaluate these (losing) athletes after this PON. We
will ask questions about the athletes' recruitment process. The
coaches could have submitted false reports about the athletes and
their assessments of their medal prospects," Sutiyoso said.