Athletes train at the Cipayung badminton national training center, East Jakarta, Friday (29/9). The badminton training camp in Cipayung has continued to take place ahead of the 2018 Asian Games. Meanwhile, other sports have yet to begin their Asian Games national training because of financial restrictions.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The management of a number of sports remain in doubt over the promise made by Vice President Jusuf Kalla, in his capacity as the steering committee chairman of the Indonesian Asian Games Organizing Committee (Inasgoc), regarding the ease in the disbursement of funds for the 2018 Asian Games national training center. The doubt emerged because the management of each sport in the event had yet to receive any confirmation about arrears payments for the SEA Games national training, which was held early this year.
Kalla said that sports managements did not need to wait for a letter of instruction to start training for the Asian Games. The national training programs could still start according to each sport’s plans, and the government was ready to ease the disbursements. The absence of a letter of instruction did not mean there would be no training center.
“No, athletes must continue to train. The fund is enough. I have asked the ministry to speed up the disbursements, from a month to only a week,” said Kalla during his survey of the ongoing renovations on the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday.
On Wednesday (4/10), Indonesia Karate-Do Federation (Forki) head of achievement development Zulkarnaen Purba said, “We are asked to hold national training. Well, we are ready, as long as there is a guarantee that the money owed to us of around Rp 1.5 billion for the SEA Games will be paid first.”
Forki has not yet resumed its national training program, because it was waiting for government reimbursement of their athletes’ room and board in the 2017 SEA Games national training.
The unpaid arrears for the cost of past national training camps was also a concern for Indonesian Amateur Boxing Federation (Pertina) chairman Brig. Gen. Johny Asadoma. He said that Satlak Prima, a task force assigned to prepare athletes in achieving the national “Go for Gold” campaign, had yet to pay Rp 475 million in arrears for athletes’ room and board in the boxing national training camp for the SEA Games.
“We also hope for a guarantee that the athletes’ honorariums, as well as their room and board allowances, will not be late again,” said Johny, who competed in the bantamweight class at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
The boxing national training camp, Johny said, would resume this Saturday. However, the fund for the camp would not come from Satlak Prima. “After I asked the North Sulawesi Governor and the Manado Mayor, we were given permission to hold our national training starting Saturday, using the facilities belonging to the North Sulawesi KONI (National Sports Council),” said Johny, who is also deputy chief of the North Sulawesi Police.
According to Johny, holding the national training in Mando allowed him to supervise the boxers directly. North Sulawesi also has many boxers who can act as sparring partners.
National training continues
Although uncertainties still surround the 2018 Asian Games national training funds, some sports have decided to go ahead with their self-funded national training programs. However, they hoped that the national training disbursements would be made soon.
“Our national training is continuing, even though we had to send home 11 athletes for rationalization. However, it is likely that they will be recalled if more categories could be added,” said the Indonesian Rock Climbing Federation (FPTI) head, Pristiawan Buntoro.
“Based on Satlak Prima’s letter, we have temporarily rationalized our team from an initial 21 athletes to 10 athletes. However, Satlak Prima’s instruction for the athletes that remain in the national training camp has not been issued yet, as it is waiting to be confirmed on Oct. 15,” Pristiawan added.
The Indonesian Taekwondo Federation (PBTI) has also continued to hold its national training camp, even though they had also not received a formal letter. The PBTI does not want its athletes’ physical condition and stamina to fall, as it would take them a long time to restore their strength.
“Our training center is run long-term in order to get the best possible achievement in the Asian Games. It is true that the government funding has yet to be disbursed, but the PBTI management has tried to cover the costs of national training needs so that all athletes can train without worry,” said PBTI co-chairman Marciano Norman.
The biggest national training expense for PBTI is the wage for two foreign coaches and athlete accommodation. A few months ago, when there were problems in the disbursement of the fund for the SEA Games 2017 national training, PBTI had to spend Rp 1 billion of private funds to cover for the expenses.
PBTI chairman Zulkifli Tanjung said that following the 2017 SEA Games and the 2017 Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, taekwondo athletes were given three days to rest and spend time with their families. Now, they are back at the national training camp, focusing on physical training.
Confirmation on categories
Other than waiting for confirmation on the national training funds, some sports, including rock climbing, are also waiting for confirmation on the sports categories that will be included in the Asian Games. As Kalla had said, the possibility of adding more categories remained open.
Inasgoc chairman Erick Thohir said that he had sent a request for the addition of categories in the archery and rock climbing events.
