Wismoyo asks governors to lead sports

Wismoyo asks governors to lead sports

JAKARTA (JP): National Sports Council (KONI) chairman Wismoyo
Arismunadar yesterday urged officials of its provincial chapters
to name their respective governors the chairpersons.

"This will help the chapters to ask for funds from prominent
businessmen in their provinces, which are necessary to run their
training programs," Wismoyo said.

Wismoyo was addressing a KONI national congress which ended
yesterday. A total of 121 representatives of all provincial
sports bodies, sports and sports-related organizations under
KONI's supervision attended the congress.

Wismoyo said it was important for KONI provincial chapters not
to heavily rely on KONI for funds because KONI does not receive
much money from the state budget.

"The government's priority is eradicating poverty, not sports.
Hence, we cannot hope for much from the state budget," Wismoyo
said.

KONI relies heavily on its special staff, consisting of the
country's prominent tycoons, for funds. For the 18th Southeast
Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last December, for instance,
KONI received Rp 13 billion from its special staff and Rp 3.7
billion from the state budget.

However, having governors as chairmen of KONI's provincial
chapters might not be as effective as Wismoyo suggested.

Sabran Malisi, training director of East Kalimantan sports
governing body said yesterday that his office had applied
Wismoyo's suggestion in the form of foster parent scheme a few
months before the 1993 National Games.

Under the scheme, East Kalimantan governor, who was also the
chairman of the provincial sports body, asked the logging
companies there, to nurture local talents who were groomed for
the 1993 National Games.

"It did not work as effectively as we had hoped. A year after
the Games, all the companies stopped their financial aid," Sabran
said.

Chief position

Sabran said a more effective way would be giving the
businessmen chief positions within the sports office. "That way,
they will have more sense of responsibility," Sabran said.

Johan Alexander Ferdinandes, deputy chairman of North Sumatra
sports governing body said that the problem with Wismoyo's
suggestion was that businessmen would mostly be interested in
helping athletes that are already strong.

"Our problem is that we need a very good program to enable the
athletes to reach this level. And to create such a program, we
need money," he said.

The congress yesterday agreed that KONI should make all
possible efforts to secure sports funds through the levying of
more taxes on cigarettes and other goods which are harmful to the
body such as alcoholic drinks, more intensive sponsorship
programs, partnership with the business community, especially
with the insurance industry (to provide bonuses for athletes who
win medals at Games such as the Asian Games or the Olympics).

The congress also agreed that KONI, in cooperation with the
Directorate General of Taxation and Immigration, should help its
provincial branches when it comes to the importing of sports
equipment. (arf)