Whither Indonesian sports?

The 2002 World Cup soccer finals in Korea and Japan are just a few months away and, as in previous years, Indonesians can only dream of having their national team qualify for the quadrennial event.

The question that immediately begs to be answered here is, why is it that Indonesia has always failed in recent years to qualify for such grand international events?

Things, after all, have not always been so gloomy. Older sports fans in this country recall with a good deal of nostalgia the situation as they knew it from around the 1950s to the early 1970s, when Indonesia enjoyed an impressive reputation in the world of international sports -- in Asian soccer in particular.

The argument that this is due to the lack of competition could well be true. Previously, quite a number of soccer leagues existed to lend life and luster to the yearly competitions, whereas at present there is only one competition each year. This could indeed be enough. At the same time, however, it raises the next question, which is whether this single competition has the quality needed to boost the players' skills.

The problem suffered by Indonesia's sports, and not only soccer, is not just a lack of competition. We also face the reality that most of our coaches rarely join courses, either short-term or long-term, here at home or abroad, due to their poor command of the English language. This may sound simple, but reality bites.

Besides, many coaches in Indonesia are former players who have never gone to a sports academy. The fact is that even the best player in the world still needs technical knowledge before he can turn himself into a coach. The poor behavior of athletes is another problem in Indonesian sports. Most of our athletes are satisfied with their achievements at the regional Southeast Asian level, tending to forget, or ignore, the fact that higher steps await them in competitions at the Asian and world levels.

Having money in their pockets is enough to make them forget their real commitment as athletes and that they must constantly be prepared to meet the demands of staying fit and be prepared for international competitions. Poor behavior off-court will eventually affect their on-court performance. Fame and fortune are definitely very tempting to athletes who already stand to lose their youth and their vigor due to their tight training programs. Hence they want to make sure that their sacrifice is properly compensated by indulging in a high-living lifestyle, including by consuming drugs.

Many people also point a finger at the centralized power of the National Sports Council (KONI) as the cause of Indonesia's declining performance in international sports. However, it is unfair to put the blame on KONI alone. The government's resolve to boost sports must also be questioned. Former president Abdurrahman Wahid's decision to close down the office of the State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports shows how the government considers sports an unimportant issue. And although the Ministry of National Education now has its director-general of sports, this alone is not enough.

The government must focus its attention on sports development, starting with schools. Schools, as well as clubs, are the sources of our athletes. The government must set up a regulation requiring that schools -- starting from kindergarten and moving up to university level -- have proper sports facilities in a conscious effort to create sports champions.

The role of parents is also important in introducing sports to children at an early age, when it is most effective, and support their choice to become athletes. After all, when all is said and done, a proper national sports training and education program will benefit not only Indonesia's national prestige as a sporting nation throughout the rest of the world. Of no less importance is the fact that it will ensure the physical well-being of future generations of Indonesians.