"I laud the Youth and Sports Ministry review team who dispatched Indonesian athletes who have the potential to win gold medals at the Vietnam SEA Games," Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the House of Representatives Hetifah Sjaifudian said, according to the ministry's website on Monday.
She said the team was selective in performing its task, given its members included academics from various universities, sports practitioners, and members of the National Sports Committee and National Olympic Committee. The review team also conducted interviews with sports management and coaches.
Sjaifudian informed that the process was undertaken in stages, and the House of Representatives supported the fair process of selecting and dispatching the best athletes.
She also emphasized that Commission X also backed the government's efforts to dispatch athletes even though the Hanoi Vietnam SEA Games were not included in the 2022 Youth and Sports Ministry's budget, because they were scheduled to be hosted in 2021.
“Of course, it is not easy to tweak the budget (planning), which had been agreed and implemented since a few months ago. Thus, the decision to dispatch athletes with any budget adjustments is the government's good faith. Although it was not included in the initial budget plan, (we are) still trying to do the best. Hopefully, our athletes can get achievements there," she said.
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The National Sports Graduate Association (ISORI) also voiced its approval of the initiative of the National Sports Achievement Improvement review team to dispatch athletes based on their track records.
"I 100-percent agree. Even though it's not for reasons (such as) efficiency and the likes, sending Indonesian athletes abroad must be selective. So that there is special pride for athletes who represent countries abroad," General Chairperson of the National Sports Graduate Association Syahrial Bakhtiar remarked.
He deemed such a method of athlete selection to be in line with the National Sports Grand Design (DBON) and Law Number 11 of 2022 concerning Sports.
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Translator: Bayu Kuncahyo, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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