Sports Activities Are Believed To Be Recovered By Next Year, Menpora Amali: We Have Started Confidence Again

Menpora Zainudin Amali (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali is optimistic that sports activities will gradually recover in 2022 even though they are still in the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Zainudin's belief is based on a number of sports championships which can be rolled out one by one in 2021. The activities that were successfully held this year, he continued, could be a benchmark for organizing sports events with health protocol standards.

There are several domestic sporting events that have resumed this year after being postponed or canceled in 2020.

The competitions that started the revival of national sporting events in the midst of the pandemic included the Menpora Cup pre-season soccer tournament, followed by the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL), Liga 1, Liga 2, to PON and Peparnas Papua.

"From this trip, I see that we have started to have confidence again to carry out activities, even with very strict health protocols," said Zainudin as quoted from Antara, Tuesday, December 28.

"I am optimistic that in 2022 sports activities will resume because in 2021 we have started, so 2022 is just a matter of continuing."

He will also ask other sports to immediately draw up plans and return to holding activities and championships in 2022.

"So, for sports that have not yet moved, we will ask to move immediately, following the activities of sports branches that have dared to try to carry out activities. Even though it has to be with a very strict protocol," he said.

In 2022, a number of events will certainly enliven the country's sports competitions. After successfully completing 2021 using the bubble system, IBL will be back starting January 15 in Jakarta.

IBL next season will be busier with 16 teams participating, which is the highest number in the history of Indonesian professional basketball competition.

Not only IBL, Proliga will also treat the longing for Indonesian volleyball fans after a hiatus of almost two years.

The professional volleyball competition will resume from 7 January to 27 March behind closed doors at the Volleyball Padepokan, Sentul, Bogor, followed by six men's teams and five women's teams.

The six men's teams that will compete in the 2022 Proliga are Jakarta BNI 46, Surabaya Bhayangkara Samator, Palembang Bank SumselBabel, Jakarta Pertamina Pertamax, as well as two newcomers Bogor LavAni and Kudus Sukun Badak.

Meanwhile, the five women's teams consist of Jakarta Popsivo Polwan, Bandung bjb Tandamata, Gresik Petrokimia, Jakarta Pertamina Fastron, and Jakarta Electric PLN.