Indonesia has proposed to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) that it would compete in a total of 40 sports branches with 462 events in the biggest Asian sporting festivities, which will be organized in Jakarta and Palembang, South Sumatra, next year.
Of course, Indonesia has been predicted to contribute medals in selected sports branches and events in the competitions, which will take place from Aug 18 to Sept 2, 2018.
Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawi, OCA, and Vice President Jusuf Kalla, in his capacity as the 18th Asian Games Steering Committee chairman, have all agreed that the number of sports branches and events will no longer be increased.
Based on the agreement, the government has decided the budget for organizing the sports festivities, including the construction of venues in accordance with the sports events that have been agreed with the OCA.
Hence, it is unlikely for Indonesia to change and increase the number of sports events as requested by OCA recently. The council has asked Indonesia to change nine sports events and add two more.
Nahrawi stated that the OCA should respect the demand of Indonesia on the types and number of sports events. "Now, we are the host, and the OCA should respect it. We have prepared the infrastructure, funds, and all kinds of necessary things. Of course, OCA must understand Indonesia`s desires and targets to become a successful organizer and to make achievements in both administration and economic promotion," Nahrawi remarked in Jakarta on Tuesday.
He was responding to the OCA letter on Nov 20, 2017, which contained a request for a change in nine sports events and additional two events in shooting, namely the open trap.
"Therefore, if the sports events that the OCA demands for are not those that could contribute medals to Indonesia, then there is no need for us to increase it. The Indonesia Asian Games Organizing Committee (INSGOC) should not give too much tolerance to the OCA, because we have given all we can. It should not happen that we give it all as we are the host," the minister stressed.
Nahrawi argued that if Indonesia agrees to OCA`s request, then it would have to face consequences, including preparing new venues and infrastructure.
"It is not easy because the government has closed the 2017 state budget and has set the budget for 2018," he remarked.
Therefore, the minister added that all policies should be based on the agreement made between Kalla and OCA that the number of matches and sports should not be added anymore.
"If there are additional sports events, then we have to reduce the number of events in other sports branches that we have agree upon," Nahrawi explained.
It was reported earlier that OCA had sent a letter to Indonesia in November 2017, requesting for the change in nine of the 462 sports events of the Asian Games 2018 and for additional two more events in the open trap of the shooting branch.
The INASGOC has rejected the OCA request for additional events in the shooting branch, because the organizers believe it to have been proposed by other Asian countries. The open trap number is an event which was competed in the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016, not in the Olympic Games which will be held in Tokyo in 2020.
"We have replied to the OCA letter. We do not want to have Wushu and Sambo eliminated," Acting Deputy I of INASGOC, Harry Warganegara, elaborated at the Asian Games Media Forum in Jakarta on Monday (Nov 27).
Based on the OCA request, the events that should be eliminated and be changed include one event of the Sambo, one of the Kurash branch, two of the BMX freestyle Cycling branch, three of the Boxing branch, one of the Karate branch, and one of the Jujitsu branch.
The nine events, which were proposed, are four events of the Rock Climbing branch, three archery events, and two events in the Taekwondo branch.
According to Warganegara, OCA will make sure whether the nine match numbers will be changed during the Asian Games Committee Coordination Meeting in January 2018.
The 18th Asian Games 2018, to be attended by 45 countries, has earlier featured 462 events of 40 sports, of which 32 are Olympic sports and eight are non-Olympic sports.
The Olympic sports are Aquatics, Athletics, Fencing, Weightlifting, Basketball, Handball, Badminton, Baseball/Softball, Cycling, Equestrian, Golf, Wrestling, Hockey, Judo, Karate, Canoeing and Kayaking, Sailing, Shooting, Modern Pentathlon, Archery, Sport climbing, Rowing, Rugby, Gymnastics, Skateboarding, Football, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Boxing, Triathlon, and Volleyball.
The non-Olympic sports are Bowling; Bridge; Cricket; Kabaddi; Martial Arts, such as Jujitsu, Kurash, Pencak Silat, Sambo, and Wushu; Mechanical Sports, such as Paragliding and Jet skiing; Squash; and Sepak Takraw.
Reporter: Andi Abdussalam
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
Copyright © ANTARA 2017
