Menpora Reminds Provincial Government That Papua PON Facilities Must Be Maintained

Menpora Zainudin Amali/PHOTO VIA ANTARA

JAYAPURA - Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali reminded the provincial and regional governments to maintain the facilities of the Papua National Sports Week (PON) after this four-year multi-event ends.

When reviewing several PON match arenas, Zainudin said that sports facilities in Papua were close to international standards.

“The facilities at PON XX Papua are already extraordinary, which have international standards. I hope that after this PON, the facilities can be well maintained and there will be a special team that handles the PON facilities," said Zainudin, quoted by Antara, Thursday, September 30.

He also hopes that the PON facility can be used to foster Papuan athletes who can represent Indonesia in international competitions, moreover it is in accordance with the National Sports Grand Design (DBON) compiled by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

PON, continued the Minister of Youth and Sports, must be a means of proving young athletes throughout Indonesia to show achievements, to carve national and international records.

However, at the Papua PON, the age restriction rule was not enforced, due to a delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic so that senior athletes who exceeded the age limit were allowed to return to the four-year national multi-event.

However, Zainudin believes that the athlete nursery in Indonesia is currently running quite well, so that young athletes can continue to compete closely with their seniors to win positions in the national team.

“I will come to sports to see matches, especially sports competitions that are included in DBON. I want this PON to be used as a forum for coaching and nurturing young Indonesian athletes. From here they must be able to give birth to achievements so that they can enter into national training athletes," he explained.