Gatot S. Dewa Broto: Incident Of Ban On Raising Flags Almost Happened Again

Gatot S. Dewa Broto and Eddy Wijaya. (Doc Eddy Wijaya)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Indonesia Anti-Doping Organization (IADO) Gatot S. Dewa Broto said the incident was forbidden to fly the Red and White flag when outstanding athletes won the world championship almost repeated in 2024. This was due to the fact that IADO was almost again sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

"Our performance, such as organizational governance, is good, there are only regulatory issues that are still being questioned by WADA," said Gatot in the EdShareOn podcast with host Eddy Wijaya, which aired on Wednesday, December 4, 2024.

The former Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Sesmenpora) mentioned that the regulatory issue was found by WADA when auditing the anti-doping organization in his office, namely FX Plaza Office Tower, Jakarta on 27 and 28 April 2023. One of them is related to the implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code or the International Standard that is mandatory for WADA in the AIDO anti-doping policy for Indonesian athletes. "That's why we now have to perform well, because if not, we will be subject to (sanctions)," said Gatot.

The sanctions were ultimately denied by WADA because IADO immediately facilitated WADA's meeting with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Law and Human Rights in Jakarta on February 21, 2024. If WADA's findings were not immediately taken care of, Gatot said a number of Indonesian athletes' victories in the world championship would return to the spotlight because they were not accompanied by the raising of the Red and White flag. A number of athletes who were threatened with the situation were Jonatan Christie and the Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto duo who won the Men's Singles and Men's Doubles in All England on March 17, 2024.

Likewise with the Indonesian national team at the Asian Cup in Qatar 2024 and a number of athletes who won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics. If only the WADA decision hearing in Switzerland, on March 12, 2024, stated that Indonesia was still a red report card (disanction), there was no story of Red and White rising in All England or the Paris Olympics. And people will definitely blaspheme IADO," said Gatot.

This situation was experienced by Indonesia at the Thomas Cup in Denmark, October 2021, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Fajar Alfian/M Rian Ardianto, and Jonatan Christie received medals on the podium without being accompanied by the raising of the Red and White. Even the state institution was replaced with the logo of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI).

This case created chaos in the country so that the Indonesian Anti-Doping Agency (LADI) changed its name to IADO. "That's an effect because WADA considers the anti-doping agency in Indonesia to be bad and not to perform governance (at that time)," he said.

Gatot explained, at that time WADA saw the poor governance of Indonesian anti-doping agency organizations from their compliance or reporting and communication to WADA which was not good. Then the problem of budgeting, the legal status is because they do not have a KUMHAM decree, there is no notary deed, and there is no Articles of Association and Bylaws (AD/ART), said Gatot while saying that all of this was a valuable lesson for him so that IADO is now performing better.

Many Athletes Don't Understand Anti-Doping

To Eddy Wijaya, Gatot S. Dewa Broto plans to include anti-doping education in the school curriculum. According to Gatot, many athletes do not have adequate knowledge of anti-doping, so it needs to be introduced early on.

"We are obliged to educate athletes to ensure that things are allowed and prohibited in the anti-doping rules. Because if we don't pay attention to what is consumed, it could be that tomorrow the champion and after that the title will be revoked will be doped," said Gatot.

The alumni of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Gajah Mada University, shared his experience meeting senior rowing athletes who had been sanctioned by doping. The athlete was forced to give up the medal, house, and bonuses for winning because he was later detected using doping from the food consumed.

"Finally, we ask for testimonials to be video appeals to young athletes to be careful about consuming anything. Indeed, athletes are at risk," he said. Gatot explained, to include anti-doping education in the school curriculum, coordination is needed with the Ministry of Education.

He is grateful that Indonesia is one of the countries participating in the signing of ratifications on against doping in sports at the UNESCO convention. "The point in UNESCO's ratification is that all ministries are obliged to assist in the implementation of anti-doping activities from IADO," said Gatot.

The man who was born in Yogyakarta, October 31, 1961, added that anti-doping education for athletes also continues to be promoted. One of them is by forming a PRESI (Education percentage) consisting of 12 people. The presenters of various media are assigned to areas to become anti-doping educators for athletes. Our steps are appreciated by WADA. And interestingly, the only PresI is in Southeast Asia," he said.

Who Is Eddy Wijaya Really, Here's The Profile

The figure of Eddy Wijaya is a podcaster who was born on August 17, 1972. Through the @EdShareOn YouTube account, Eddy interviewed many national figures ranging from state officials, legal experts, political experts, national politicians, to Indonesian celebrities. The man with the characteristics of the right cheek dimple is also a nationalist who is a struggling activist for discriminated and social observers by helping the community through the Wijaya Peduli Bangsa foundation.

He is also active in sports by serving as Daily Chair of the Indonesian Horseed Sports Association (Pordasi) Pacu and has also served as Deputy Chairperson of the All-Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) East Jakarta. His ideas were formed because of his hard work to be independent from the age of 13 years until his success as he is now. For Eddy, the world of work is not as smooth as imagined, failure and rejection are commonplace. This is what makes him hold on to the tagline Success is only a matter of time. (ADV)