Winner qualifies for AVC C'ship

Winner qualifies for AVC C'ship

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The 2003 season of the National Professional Indoor Volleyball
League, or Proliga, will kick off its three-month season in
April, the Indonesian Volleyball Association (PBVSI) announced on
Tuesday.

Rita Subowo, PBVSI chairwoman, said the Proliga winner in the
men's division would represent Indonesia at the Asian Volleyball
Confederation (AVC) championship, a men's club event that will be
held in Jakarta from May 18 through May 24.

"The AVC tournament will feature club champions from their
respective countries," she said.

Hanny Surkatty, the PBVSI official in charge of competition,
said the 2003 Proliga season would feature the same number of
teams as last year's inaugural season: eight men's and eight
women's teams.

"The only change is that two teams withdrew and will be
replaced by new teams," Hanny said.

"Jakarta Patriot has decided only to take part in the men's
competition. Its women's team will be replaced by a team from
Bandung," said Hanny, adding that the new team, which is
sponsored by a local bank, had yet to submit its final lineup to
the association.

"On the men's side, Tunas Bogor will be replaced by Sparta
Sidoarjo," he said.

Hanny did not release the names of the 16 teams taking part in
the league, saying some teams that intended to change their names
had yet to notify the association.

In a change from last season, when foreign players were signed
and distributed among the different teams by PBVSI, it has been
decided that this year the clubs are free to sign their own
foreign imports.

"Last year we received many complaints from clubs that they
received foreign players who were no better than locals. Now they
are free to make their own choices," Hanny said, adding that the
teams would be given US$500 to subsidize the monthly salaries of
each foreign player.

The season will run from Feb. 8 to April 20, with games on
Saturdays and Sundays in seven cities: Bandung and Bogor in West
Java; Surabaya, Gresik and Sidoarjo in East Java; Yogyakarta and
Jakarta.