Head Of Nutrition Agency Says PSSI Is Difficult To Win Because Nutrition Is Not Good

Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Dadan Hindayana. (Maria Trisnawati / VOI)

JAKARTA - Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, joked about the nutritional influence on the performance of Indonesian football. According to him, the government needs to intervene in the nutritional needs of the community through the National Nutrition Eating program. According to him, intervention needs to be carried out in order to produce a high-quality productive workforce

Dadan also mentioned the defeat of the national team under the auspices of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) in several matches. According to him, the PSSI team finds it difficult to win in 90 minutes of matches due to poor nutritional intake

"So don't be surprised that PSSI is difficult to win because it played 90 tough minutes. Why? Because the nutrition is not good. And many footballers were born from the village," he said after signing a collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works, Saturday, March 22.

However, he assessed that currently the Indonesian National Team's soccer game had improved because it naturalized a number of football players from abroad, although they had not been able to beat Australia and Japan.

"Now PSSI is a bit good because the 17 players are nutritious food products in the Netherlands. Even though they have not been able to beat Australia and Japan," continued Dadan.

Moreover, Dadan continued, Japan has carried out a free meal program for more than 100 years and placed itself as the country with the highest average intellectual intelligence or intelligence quotient (IQ) in the world.

"So for sports even if we need intelligence. Because to be able to pass the ball carefully without seeing, we need intelligence," added Dadan.

For this reason, Dadan hopes that the MBG program can be felt by 82.9 million beneficiaries starting from school children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers. He said that Indonesia's population growth continued to grow from year to year with the largest contribution from the poor class. Meanwhile, on the other hand, it is difficult for the poor to meet their daily nutritional needs.

"So the President is nervous. If we don't intervene, this group is 60 percent and has never seen a menu with balanced nutrition. If they eat there is rice, there is reinforcements, there are noodles or snacks, crackers, soy sauce. All carbohydrates. That's enough for them to be happy. The important thing is that their children can live," said Dadan.