There Are Many Polemics Regarding The Appointment Of Nagita Slavina As The Icon Of The Papua PON, What Does The Minister Of Youth And Sports Say?

Documentation - The couple Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina. (Photo: Maria Cicilia Galuh/Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali straightened out the appointment of Nagita Slavina as the icon of XX Papua PON which has drawn public polemic.

Zainudin emphasized that the appointment was entirely the decision of the Papua National Sports Week (PB PON) Executive Board.

"The decision on the appointment of the Papuan PON icon is not by the central government or the Menpora, let alone linked to the president," said Zainudin at a virtual press conference in Jakarta, Friday, June 4.

"We didn't know anything. This is the decision of the PB PON whose governor is Papua, with their authority to decide on the icon of Nagita Slavina," he added.

However, Zainudin understands the reason for PB PON's decision to appoint Nagita Slavina as a figure who promotes the multi-sport event.

By appointing a public figure like Nagita Slavina, Zainudin assessed that it could encourage the socialization of PON Papua to be more widespread throughout the community.

"Perhaps the goal is to bring up a famous figure, so that the publication of the Papua PON is more massive," he said.

Previously, Raffi Ahmad and Nagita Slavina were appointed by PB PON as icons of PON Papua to socialize the implementation of this multi-pronged sport to the public.

However, the appointment actually drew strong protests from the public because it was considered not to represent Papuan women in promoting the event.

Previously, PB PON had also appointed Persipura Jayapura footballer Boaz Solossa as the XX Papua PON Ambassador.