Menpora Submits List Of Priority Athletes Receiving Vaccines To The Ministry Of Health

Menpora Zainudin Amali (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali admitted that he had submitted a list of proposals for priority athletes receiving the COVID-19 vaccine to the Ministry of Health (Kemenkes).

Until now, Kemenpora is still waiting for a response from the Ministry of Health regarding the athlete's vaccination schedule.

"We have submitted a list of proposals from sports. The authority for vaccines is from the Ministry of Health, and we are only in the waiting portion, "said Zainudin in a written statement released by Antara, Tuesday.

Zainudin understands that the current number of COVID-19 vaccines is still limited. However, his party will strive so that at least the proposed athletes can get priority for the COVID-19 vaccination from the government.

"So I hope that despite the limited vaccines, we can still be prioritized. Only for a few, namely those that are prepared for the Olympics or other single event championships, "he said.

Although vaccination has been proposed, the Menpora asked all parent sports and athletes who are projected to appear at the Tokyo Olympics to continue to apply health protocols while undergoing the national training.

He asked athletes to refrain from staying on the national plate following the finding of a positive case of COVID-19 which recently started infecting national athletes.

"To the managers of the National Training Center, sports leaders, coaches, please be more tightened like in the beginning. So, once again for the athletes who are currently in the National Training Team to be able to hold back, because it is very influential, if they are exposed it is definitely impossible to practice, definitely isolation and chasing or recovering takes a long time, "he said.

The Ministry of Youth and Sports had previously proposed 1,500 names, including athletes, coaches, and officials from 17 sports and the National Paralympic Committee (NPC) to receive priority for COVID-19 vaccination from the government.

The seventeen federations are PBSI (badminton), PABBSI (weightlifting), Perpani (archery), PRSI (swimming), IPSI (pencak silat), Pelti (tennis), FORKI (karate), TI (taekwondo), PJSI ( judo), PBWI (wushu), PBVSI (volleyball), Perbakin (shooting), Persani (gymnastics), Percasi (chess), PODSI (rowing), PBI (bowling) and PSOI (surfing waves).