Looking For Formulas To Help Indonesian Sports Legends

Chairman of KOI, Raja Sapta Oktohari (center). (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - An alarming condition is being felt by two Indonesian sports legends, Mardi Lestari and Kusuma Wardhani. Both of them are currently sick and need attention, as well as helping hands.

Mardi Lestari is an Indonesian athletic legend who specializes in running number 100 meters. He once broke into the semifinals of the 1988 Seoul Olympics, South Korea.

Currently, Mardi is mostly staying at his home on Jalan Jaya Wijaya, South Binjai, North Sumatra, because he is recovering from mild stage lymph cancer and liver and kidney disorders.

Meanwhile Kusuma Wardhani is an Indonesian archery legend. He was included in the Three Srikandis who donated silver medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics with Nurfitriyana and Lilies Handayani.

Kusuma Wardhani is reportedly suffering from a stroke and is in the ICU room and is being treated at Hermina Hospital in Makassar, South Sulawesi.

Chairman of KOI/NOC Indonesia, Raja Sapta Oktohari, said that his party was looking for the best formula to help olympics who had difficulties in their old age. The conditions experienced by Mardi Lestari and Kusuma Wardhani.

"KOI is very concerned about what these olympics have done because they have made history and how the state treats these Red and White fighters," said the man who is familiarly called Okto, as reported by Antara.

Okto added that KOI is trying hard to build communication with all stakeholders, in this case the government is to provide convenience to olympics.

"For example, with tax incentives. The responsibility for sports achievements is not only borne by the government but is a matter of pride from athletes who are fighting in the Olympics on behalf of 270 million Indonesians," he said again.

Another form of attention, said Okto, is to form a forum called an olympian care wallet in collaboration with the Indonesian Olympian Association (IOA) so that the form of assistance is right on target and transparent.

"There is an initiative to form an olympic care wallet that we will initiate and involve the IOA which will oversee the olympics. IOA will be our partner in channeling or thinking to provide support for compensation, assistance, support for olympics," said the 47-year-old man.

Okto hopes that the initiative to help the olympics who have made Indonesia proud will receive full support from sports lovers in the country.

The hope, he continued, is that this program will continue to live up to the ideals of the nation's next generation to be proud to be an olympican, representing Indonesia on the world stage.

"And of course it can be an aspiration for the next olympics so that they know the country and we all don't let go. That whatever has been dedicated to the Republic of Indonesia is still appreciated even though they are no longer competing. This requires the cooperation of all parties," said Okto.

This step is fully supported by two former Indonesian olympic legends who attended the NOC Indonesia Sapa Olympian, Mardi Lestari and Lilies Handayani events. Both of them thanked them for the initiative to help the olympics in the dusk period.

"We are very concerned and pray for all those who are sick to be given health immediately. All Indonesian sports people, provide support and support to all parties who want to give their aspirations, either through us or directly, and we will also cooperate with the IOA, open a system that will hopefully become the pockets of the olympics' endowments," concluded Okto.