Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) is preparing their best athletes for the fifth Military Olympic Games to be held in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to 24.

"The 88 athletes will participate in nine out of 22 branches to be competed in the Games," TNI`s head of public information service Colonel Minulyo Surapto said here on Monday.

The nine sport branches in which the TNI athletes would compete are boxing, judo, fencing, orienteering, parachute jumping, shooting, athletics, women`s volley-ball and fencing.

"TNI has confirmed its participation in the nine sport branches with a hope of making achievements and winning medals in its first participation in the Military Olympic Games," he said.

In connection with the plan, a training center program has been opened by TNI chief`s operations assistant Major General Hambali Hanafiah as the general chairman of the Indonesia Military Sports Committee.

The program will be carried out in several regions in the country according to the branches such as in Batam, Magelang, Cilodong, Cijantung and Cilangkap.

The confirmation of Indonesian military 133rd membership in the Council of International Military Sports (CSIM-Consielle International du Sport Militaire) means the Indonesian military is ranked 133rd in the international military sports ranking.

He said the country`s participation in the 5th Military Olympic Games in Brazil which is to be attended by CISM members from across the world would reaffirm TNI`s presence in the International Military Communication Forum after TNI had earlier participated in the World Military Fencing Championship in Venezuela, the first World CISM Cadet Championship in Ankara, Turkey and a Member Meeting CISM Asia in Manama, Bahrain.

In all the TNI will send 105 strong delegation to the Military Olympic Games in Brazil consisting of 88 athletes and 17 officials. The delegation will be led by deputy chief of the army`s special force Kopassus, Brigadier General Doni Munardo. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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