Whither Indonesian sports?

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.