Women meet to discuss their future role in sport

Women meet to discuss their future role in sport

JAKARTA (JP): These days, women are expected to assume more
prominent roles in public life, including in the sports arena.

A three-day IAAF/AAAA Women's Athletics Symposium, which was
opened yesterday at the Hilton Executive Club, turned into an
arena to discuss increase women's involvement in international
sports.

Carmen Jahya, the deputy of the National Sports Council's
Sports Scientific Center told The Jakarta Post that she would be
working together with the Indonesian Sports Women Association.

"We're not talking about emancipation here but about the role
of women in sports in general," she added.

Carmen, who was elected chairman of the special task force for
women's issues, said that Indonesia had few female coaches or
athletes.

Ilse Bechthold from Germany said in her speech that setting up
female committees could help put women in decision-making
positions.

"Women should analyze the present situation so their function
becomes clearer," said the chairman of the IAAF Women's
Committee.

IAAF has decided to name 1998 "Year of Women in Athletics".
This will not only be symbolic, but will be the year for women to
come forward, Bechthold hoped.

Moslem

During the symposium, the problems of women in Moslem
countries cropped up. They are often barred from competition
because of their religion.

Islam only allows women to appear in public after covering
their bodies apart from their faces and palms.

"Due to our religion, women in our country never represent the
country in international events like the Olympics," a
representative of Iran said.

"We should observe the culture and tradition of foreign
countries; women can adapt to the situation," Lim Ah Seoh of
Malaysia said.

"In my country, university students have designed comfortable
clothes for Muslim women," Lim, the presenter of the symposium,
added.

Lim, who is a project manager of the National Sports Council
of Malaysia, said that to overcome barriers like religion,
culture and tradition, special Olympics could be held for women.

"I agree with her idea but I don't know about other countries.
Will they agree to take part in these "special" Olympics?" said a
participant.

Indonesia

Guenter Lange, the Indonesian Amateur Athletics Association's
consultant, said that although the number of women in the
federation was low, they achieved more than men.

"We have 30 female coaches who have IAAF level one
certificates, and three of them are qualified for the higher
level. This means 10 percent are qualified," he said. "Out of the
304 men, only 21 are qualified, only seven percent," he added.

Lange said that Indonesian female athletes should be plotting
strategies to get involved in decision-making. (05)