Wismoyo accepts top Sports Council job

Wismoyo accepts top Sports Council job

JAKARTA (JP): Wismoyo Arismunandar finally agreed, yesterday,
to accept the chairmanship of the National Sports Council (KONI),
in place of Surono, if it is offered to him by the electoral
board tonight. His announcement has put an end to weeks of
discussion within Indonesia's peak sports body about the
succession.

Wismoyo, who is also the Army Chief of Staff, kept the 600
participants of KONI's congress waiting in uncertainty until the
end of second day of the three-day meeting yesterday. He refused
to chair the electoral board, proposing that the chair be
occupied, instead, by the incumbent Surono.

The board, consisting of a maximum of three members
representing KONI, sports organizations and KONI's chapters, has
the right to choose a new chairman as well as KONI's leadership
board.

Former three-time chairman of the Indonesian Judo Association,
Wismoyo, agreed in principle to assume KONI's helm after a 15-
minute talk at the Halim Perdanakusuma military airport with four
representatives of the congress, led by outgoing Executive
Chairman Soeweno. Wismoyo was about to leave for Lampung to
inspect the military civic mission there.

Wismoyo told Soeweno that he would think over the request,
reminding him that he would soon be retiring from his post in the
Army.

But when Soeweno said the congress had already taken his
foreseeable retirement into consideration, Wismoyo finally said,
as quoted by Timbul Thomas Lubis: "If the congress really wants
me, then with a feeling of deep emotion I shall accept this
honor."

Wismoyo then signed a statement stating his acceptance.
Wismoyo is expected to attend KONI's final meeting at the Senayan
indoor stadium complex at 9 p.m. this evening.

Chairman of the congress Warsito decided to send the delegates
to Halim to speak to Wismoyo after observing that 15 provincial
chapters had swung their full weight behind Wismoyo during the
first session of the congress.

"We need to know his (Wismoyo's) answer as soon as possible,"
said Warsito, who is also West Nusa Tenggara Governor.

The envoys included Sri Hastuti Mardiko of the Indonesian
Gymnastics Association and Joko Mulyo Mangunprawiro of the
Indonesian Wrestling Association.

Warsito said Wismoyo's refusal to lead the electoral board
would not serve as a hurdle for the congress. "He has the right
to say no (to the chairmanship of the electoral board), but let
the congress decide," Warsito said.

Revised system

Representatives of KONI's 27 provincial chapters as well as
its 50 sports and sports-related organizations held discussions
yesterday on the need to revise the current system of counting
medals and the need for a ruling outlawing the practice of
athlete headhunting in other provinces.

Zulfirman Siregar, the North Sumatra representative, joined
the majority in criticizing the "unfair" current system of medals
tallying in the National Games which allowed "a gold medal to
overshadow 1,000 silvers."

He proposed a points system which would give five points to
gold, three to silver and one to bronze.

Other debates were on whether the date of the 14th National
Games should be brought forward and whether or not the
Indonesian Olympic Committee should be a separate body from KONI.

KONI plans to move forward the 14th National Games from 1997
to 1996 because of the general election. Those against the
proposal said that the change would be detrimental to their
budgets.

Most provincial representatives disagreed with a suggestion of
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman that the
present organizational structure should be altered to completely
separate the Indonesian Olympic Committee from KONI.

"Their separation would not be a guarantee that each would
work well," said the representative of the Indonesian Bowling
Association. (arf/amd)