Wiranto new karate chairman

Wiranto new karate chairman

JAKARTA (JP): Lt. Gen. Wiranto, the Army Strategic Reserves
Commander, is to chair the Indonesian Karate-do Federation until
2001.

Wiranto, who is currently the Indonesian Contract Bridge
Association chairman and the Indonesian Taekwondo Association's
vice chairman, was picked to replace Rudini, a former minister of
home affairs, on Tuesday in Bogor, West Java.

Another candidate was Lt. Gen. Tarub, the Armed Forces General
Affairs' chief, who was backed by 11 karate schools.

Kompas reported that the karate federation and the taekwondo
association had fought to have Wiranto as their chairman. But
Wiranto picked the karate body after Rudini intervened in the
dispute.

The Indonesia Karate-do chairman Eduard Tando said it would be
a boost for the sport in Indonesia to have Wiranto leading the
federation.

"We believe Wiranto, with all his strength, will bring karate
its rightful glory at the SEA Games, as he did with the bridge
association.

"We hope the Indonesian karate team will make a clean sweep in
the games to mark the start of Wiranto's leadership," he said.

George THE, Karate-do Kyushin Ryu Indonesia's chairman, said
the incoming organizers must be able to activate the school
council, which controls the referees board.

"The referees board is in a most critical condition. Much
dissatisfaction has been shown because referees are often accused
of being unfair in fights," George said.

"It happens because the council does not control the board
actively. The referees' quality is not improving at the same rate
as that of the athletes'," he said. (yan)