Swimming officials to resign due to internal dispute

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Swimming Federation (PRSI) official in charge of athletes development, Patuan Simatupang, said on Thursday that some officials wanted to resign from their posts due to internal disputes.

"Some officials are too busy to change the organization and replace certain incapable people from their posts, contrary to the results of PRSI plenary meeting early this year," he said.

Patuan said the PRSI meeting had decided to stage the national championships and the ASEAN age group championships in Bali in May but the official in charge of competition, who was not present at the meeting, declined the decision and wants to move the events to Jakarta.

"The officials are Lisa Siregar and secretary general Abdurrahim, who is always doubtful of taking action," said Patuan, replying to the question of the officials' names.

Citing another example, Patuan said Lisa also did not tell the truth about swimmer Wisnu Wardhana's shoulder injury. Lisa reported to PRSI that Wisnu fell at his home while the truth was Wisnu fell playing basketball.

Patuan sent the resignation letter to chairman Rahardi Ramelan on Monday. Patuan will meet with official in charge of swimming technical commission Gerald HP Item, business director Lukman Niode, and official in charge of research and development Kristiono Sumono on Friday to discuss on their resignations.

"Pak Rahardi also wants to resign as chairman due to his job as visiting tutor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology," he said.

Separately, Lukman said he still considered the matter as rumor.

"I just heard from some friends that there were some people who wanted to change PRSI officials. I consider this a disrespect to the national plenary meeting result. It will also insult Pak Rahardi as the chairman." (yan)