"I want to send a clear message. Please do not bully and insult our athletes who have struggled very hard for Indonesia`s glory at the Asian Games. They have fought to the last drop of their blood," Imam Nahrawi said.
Speaking to journalists after watching the final round of platform diving at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Stadium here on Friday evening, he said, instead of bullying them, the Asian Games enthusiasts across the archipelago should support them.
Majority of Indonesians support the country`s athletes who compete in the Asian Games. However, several of them bullied the unsuccessful athletes.
One of the victims of bullying is the men`s singles badminton player Anthony Sinisuka Ginting after suffering from a leg cramp that made him fail to continue the game against China`s Shi Yuqi in the final round of badminton men`s team event on August 22.
Imam Nahrawi said he believes that Indonesia still has chances to add its medal tally prior to the official closing of this Asia`s biggest multi-sport event on Sunday.
"I am confident that we are still getting more medals," he said.
A Malaysian skateboarder, Fatin Syahirah Roszizi, has also become a victim of bullying after losing in the final round of the Asian Games` skateboard competition on August 22.
Many Malaysian social media users insulted Fatin through the negative comments that they posted on her Instagram. She then deleted all of the comments.
Indonesia is hosting the Asian Games for the second time this year after Jakarta was selected as the venue for the Asian sporting event in 1962.
This year, Jakarta and Palembang are co-hosting the games from Aug 18 to Sept 2. By virtue of its hosting the 2018 games, the country aims to secure a place among the top 10 largest sporting events.
At this world`s second-biggest multi-sport event after the Olympics, some 15 thousand athletes from 45 countries are competing in 462 events across 40 sports, of which 32 are 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, Roller Skating, Football, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Boxing, Triathlon, and Volleyball.
The non-Olympic sports are Bowling; Bridge; Cricket; Kabaddi; Martial Arts, including Jujitsu, Kurash, Pencak Silat, Sambo, and Wushu; Mechanical Sports, such as Paragliding and Jet Skiing; Squash; and Sepak Takraw.
As of Friday at 10.30 p.m. local time, Indonesia had bagged 30 gold medals, 23 silver medals, and 40 bronze medals, thereby placing it on the top four in the temporary medal tally behind China (118-85-60), Japan (69-50-70), and South Korea (43-54-63).
Reporting by Dyah Dwi Astuti
Editing by Rahamad Nasution
(T.R013/A/R013/A014) 01-09-2018 10:10:10
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Andi Abdussalam
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
