Fostering National Spirit at GBK Sports Complex

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Indonesian supporters are undeterred by heavy showers on Tuesday (28/8/2018) from watching the men\'s beach volleyball final of the 2018 Asian Games at the Beach Volleyball court of Jakabaring Sports City in Palembang, South Sumatra. Beach volleyball is one of the sports that always draws large crowds.

Visitors to the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) sports complex in Jakarta were full of enthusiasm on Tuesday (28/8/2018). They came in droves not only to watch the Indonesian shuttlers in the badminton finals, but also to immerse themselves in the Asian Games spirit.

Nearing noon, the sun was scorching over the GBK Stadium, where the badminton finals were held, but that did not prevent spectators from gathering outside the stadium to watch the men’s singles final between Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie and Chou Tien-Chen from Chinese Taipei on a big screen. The hot asphalt below them and the scorching sun above did not dissuade them from shouting their hearts out every time Jojo, as Jonatan is affectionately called, scored a point.

As the day got hotter, many opened their umbrellas, which they shared with those around them. Volunteers and corporate promotion teams were distributing fans.

Mita, 27, an employee from an office in the Sudirman Central Business District, was among them. She said that, as the host, Indonesia had done well in organizing this year’s Asian Games, which was fostering national pride among the people. “Many are coming here on workdays, which means the event is good and attractive,” Mita said.

Yudhi, 31, used his day off to come to the GBK Stadium. It was his third time visiting the arena during the Asian Games. Previously, he attended the opening ceremony and watched a volleyball match. He said he would also attend the closing ceremony.

He said he had come to the GBK venue several times to feel the euphoric atmosphere and witness the quadrennial multisport event on home turf, adding that he felt an improved sense of togetherness and national spirit among sport fans. “This is the perfect moment [for the Asian Games], as we are divided by numerous issues. The Asian Games can revive our sense of unity and nationalism,” Yudhi said.

Sport has become the talk of the town in Jakarta and beyond as even strangers discuss matches and medals. Rooting for the home team, it appears, is an ice breaker uniting a nation.

Nearing the end of the men’s singles final, the big screen airing the match was set up at the Kaka Zone. Volunteers were busy directing sport fans toward the zone.

The third game between Jojo and Chou was fierce, and the spectators were visibly tense. They all cheered joyfully when Jojo won the game and contributed another gold medal to Indonesia’s haul. When the national anthem was played, national pride grabbed hold of everyone’s emotions.

Dignity and hard work

People of all ages seemed to blend together. Tikno, 65, came with his wife from Semarang. Evelyn took her three kids from Surabaya on the once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Hariyanto, 54, or Yanto, from Surabaya was dressed all in red and white and also wore the Indonesian flag on his pants and his cap. As if that wasn’t enough, he had brought along a long bamboo pole with a huge red-and-white flag. “I have watched Indonesia at badminton games since the 1980s,” said Yanto, adding that he had gone to the All England games and the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon.

Rachmi, 69, and Yusti, 68, came to the GBK for a school reunion. The two were dancers in the opening ceremony of the 1962 Asian Games, which had also been held in Jakarta. They said people had been highly enthusiastic both times the Games had been held in Indonesia. “We saw the amazing opening ceremony. Infrastructure development was accelerated for the Asian Games,” Rachmi said.

She quoted President Sukarno’s speech at the 1962 Asian Games, namely that the Games were not only about sport, but also about national dignity. “Physically, the Asian Games are about sports. However, beyond that, the [Games] are about nurturing our sportsmanship and hard work as the host,” Rachmi said.

Locals’ attitude

After each match, people are seen thronging around culinary stands in all zones of the sports complex. Neat queues were seen in front of the stands. People were eating either in standing or sitting down by the road or on the grass. Youths were seen giving their places to the elderly.

Cleanup staff and volunteers were removing waste from the tables. Ashma, 13, a student of Sekolah Alam Bintaro nature school, was picking up trash and putting it in a plastic bag.

Ashma said he did not mind getting his hands dirty. He said it was a host’s responsibility to ensure cleanliness. Previously, he had watched the badminton match inside the arena with his friends. Afterwards, they served as cleanup volunteers.

Despite widespread concern for orderliness and mutual respect, there were problems in other aspects. “I want to buy souvenirs for my grandkids, but I cannot stand the queue,” said Sari, 70, who had come with her husband Jani, 76.

Long queues led to the Superstore, the official Asian Games souvenir shop. There was no priority lane for buyers with special needs, and shopkeepers generally just relied on visitors’ willingness to let some people jump the queue.

Rachmi and Yusti also said some visitors were not disciplined in queues and others lacked manners. They said that, for a city as large as Jakarta, these were big problems.

Another fan, Risyad Budiono, 32, who had come to the GBK complex with 15 friends, said ticketing was poorly managed. “[However], I am still awed by people’s huge enthusiasm and sense of togetherness and national spirit among sports fans. This is rare,” he said.

He added that he had not expected Indonesia to host such a huge international multisport event in a professional manner.

(E02/E15)