"ISSF was grateful because Indonesia has officially convinced itself to host the third ISG..."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The number of participating countries of the third Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) rose to 38 countries from the previous 25 ones, following the issuance of new presidential decree relating to the ISG implementation, a minister said.
The increasing number of ISG participants occurred with regard to certainty stipulated in the presidential decree on the ISG number 23/2013 as of July 2013 as a change of Presidential Decree number 15/2012, Youth and Sports Minister Roy Suryo said here on Wednesday.
"The new presidential decree (Keppres) becomes a legal basis to conduct the ISG in Palembang (South Sumatra). Meanwhile, the Presidential Decree number 15/2012 was a legal basis for the ISG implementation in Pekanbaru, Riau," he said.
According to him, the ISG removal from Pekanbaru to Palembang because the former was not ready to host the international event.
The minister also said, Riau was replaced due to its inadequate sports facility that reflected its inability and unpreparedness to hold the ISG.
In addition, Riau Governor Rusli Zainal who was also the ISG organizing committee chairman, had been named a suspect in a graft case by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The increasing number of participating countries in ISG is an official information issued by the Islamic Solidarity Games Federation (ISSF), Suryo said.
"I have received the report from ISSF about the participants. Some countries have registered directly to join ISG and several others have registered through internet. This is such a great progress," he said.
ISSF perceived the new presidential decree is a form of assurance of Indonesian government in holding the multi-sport event of Islamic countries, said Suryo.
"ISSF was grateful because Indonesia has officially convinced itself to host the third ISG following the release of new decree," he said.
The third ISG was scheduled to hold 13 sports events such as football, wushu, volleyball, taekwondo, badminton, aquatic, basketball, archery and tennis.
The event of ISG will be centered at Jaka Baring Sports City but three sports event namely, volleyball, wushu and basketball will be played outside the sports complex.
Youth and Sports Ministry has allocated fund amounting Rp131 billion to conduct the event.
(Reporting by Bayu Kuncahyo/I029/B003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
