"The governor will give an award as a form of appreciation to athletes who have excelled at the international level, especially in the last SEA (Southeast Asian Games) Games Hanoi, Vietnam," head of the South Sulawesi Tourism and Sports Office, Arwin Azis, said in Makassar on Friday.
"The giving of this bonus is a form of the governor's concern for the welfare of athletes. Even in the past sports events, he also gave a double bonus for our athletes and the amount is greater than before," he pointed out.
This time, the bonuses given to South Sulawesi's outstanding athletes will vary. Solo athletes who won gold medals will be given Rp100 million, while teams will receive Rp50–75 million. Meanwhile, individual silver medal winners will be given Rp75 million and teams who bagged silver will receive Rp35–50 million.
Further, individual bronze medal winners will be rewarded Rp50 million and teams Rp15–25 million.
The bonus will be handed over symbolically since some athletes who are supposed to receive the bonus are preparing for national training, he informed.
"They are not in South Sulawesi. So later on, those who will receive the award will be three people from the karate sport as representatives, because they happen to be in Makassar," he explained.
He said he also expected the bonus to serve as motivation for South Sulawesi athletes, both those who have and who have not yet made achievements, so that they can push their performance and potential to the best.
"This is indeed the purpose of giving this bonus: to be an inspiration, encouragement, motivation for our athletes to excel and become the government's attention, so that they will be consistent in contributing their achievements to the region," he added.
"They will train harder, focus on (pursuing) targets, and new talents will emerge because they will be motivated by the government's attention, especially by appreciations given from the governor before and after the match," he elaborated.
The athletes who will receive the bonus will comprise four karate athletes and one karate coach, three rowing athletes, three sepaktakraw athletes, one weightlifting athlete and one weightlifting coach, one soccer athlete, one futsal athlete, and one Esports athlete.
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Translator: Abdul Kadir, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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