VP gives thumbs down to sports achievements

VP gives thumbs down to sports achievements

JAKARTA (JP): Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri used the
national sports day on Saturday to lash out at those who would
quickly pat themselves in the back, saying she was dissatisfied
with the nation's achievements in the field of sports.

"I'm concerned with national athletes' achievements in the
international sports arena," Megawati said in her address during
the ceremony at the Ancol marine resort, North Jakarta, held to
mark the 17th National Sports Day.

In an apparent show of dissatisfaction, the vice president
even refused to wear a sports uniform provided by organizers
which bore the title Hari Olahraga National (National Sports
Day).

"I'm ashamed of wearing the sports uniform because I'm upset
with our athletes' achievements... There are many domestic sports
events which are merely ceremonial," she said.

"Let's ask ourselves how far our progress has been in the past
17 years," Megawati charged.

Her comments may also be aimed at spurring on the 47
Indonesian athletes scheduled to participate in the Olympic Games
in Sydney later this month.

This year's ceremony also comes in the wake of the dissolution
of the State Ministry for Youth and Sports which has now come
under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of National Education.

Megawati urged athletes and the sports community in general
not to be discouraged by the closure of the state ministry.

She said that another institution, the National Sports
Council, still exists to help develop sports in Indonesia.

She also asked the general public to support sports as a form
of nation and character building.

During the ceremony Megawati also presented 55 awards to
athletes, officials and other individuals for their contribution
in developing sports.

Among the award recipients were men's badminton singles
shuttler Taufik Hidayat and men's doubles shuttler Antonius Budi
Ariantho. Their coaches, Agus Dwi Santoso and Mulyo Handoyo also
shared the honor.

Other recipients included former Minister of Youth Affairs and
Sports Mahadi Sinambela and his predecessor, Agung Laksono, the
chairman of the 2000 National Games (PON) organizing committee
and East Java Governor Imam Utomo.

Megawati asked the nation's athletes competing in the Olympic
Games to do their best for the nation challenging them to win a
medal in the quadrennial event.

Also present in the ceremony were Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso
and the Minister of National Education Yahya Muhaimin. (ivy/byg)