Committed To Strengthening Anti-Doping Institutions, Menpora Supports Laboratory Development In Indonesia

JAKARTA - The Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali said that the Indonesian government is committed to strengthening anti-doping institutions. One of the ways is to increase the budget from previous years.

This was conveyed by Menpora when holding a virtual meeting with the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), Witold Banka, who had just been elected. He emphasized the government's commitment to support the existence of the international anti-doping agency WADA and the Indonesian Anti-Doping Institute (LADI).

Menpora also congratulated Witold Banka on being elected as the new President of WADA. This Golkar politician is also very grateful for WADA's concern for Indonesia.

"We convey that the financial plan to support LADI will increase by about 500% in 2021 and thereafter compared to previous years," said the Menpora.

Menpora also said that his party would continue to work hard so that all WADA programs could be implemented in Indonesia. One of them is to conduct anti-doping tests in accordance with WADA regulations.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of LADI, Zaini Khadafi Saragih, expressed his desire to build his own anti-doping laboratory. The reason is, anti-doping tests must not be arbitrary in the laboratory.

"Only laboratories accredited by WADA are limited in number. So to maintain the quality of WADA, limit laboratories that are used as references," said Zaini.

He revealed that there are only about 30 laboratories accredited by WADA in the world. Meanwhile in Asia there are only two, namely in Penang, Malaysia and Bangkok, Thailand.

"Even then the ones in Penang are closed, so there is only one left. So if we send samples we have to go to India, Qatar or Bangkok," he said.

The chairman of LADI has asked the government to make its own laboratory as a big country. He also said that he had received a strong commitment from the Menpora. Menpora has also asked for support from WADA, in the form of supervision from the start so that the laboratory meets standardization.