China to Help Indonesia

Tempo Interactive, Wednesday, 20 January, 2010 | 14:38 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Chairperson of the National Sports Council (KONI) Rita Subowo has said that the Chinese government will help managing sports in Indonesia by sending 30 coaches for various sports at schools and building sports counseling centers in eight provinces in Indonesia.

“I met with Chinese Sports Minister deputy Ziaqing Yu on Monday. He said he wanted to help Indonesia to excel in the 2012 Olympics in London and the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. This is why they offered us help,” Rita said at her office yesterday.

China will also send talent scouts to Indonesia to search for athletes and potential young athletes.

According to Rita, the collaboration is a long-term project to produce excellent athletes for the future.

Besides planning a long-term collaboration, China will also provide facilities for Indonesian athletes who will carry out training in China before the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou in November.

“But we have not yet determined about which sports will undergo training. It is still being discussed,” Rita said.

She explained that the MoU will be signed after the State Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Andi Alifian Mallarangeng has visited China in the near future.

Andi will be visiting China to see the athlete schools, sports facilities and sports management, Rita said.

ARIS M