Government Ensures To Hold The National Sports Week And National Paralympic Week Papua 2021 Amid The COVID-19 Pandemic

Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) (Photo: Dhemas Reviyanto/Antara)

JAKARTA - The government has confirmed that they will hold the 2021 National Sports Week (PON) and National Paralympic Week (Peparnas) in Papua even though the COVID-19 pandemic is still happening.

This assurance was conveyed by the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Zainudin Amali after holding a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"That the PON itself will be held from October 2 to 15, 2021, while the National Tournament will be held on November 2-15", Amali said in an online press conference broadcast on the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel, Tuesday, July 13.

"So roughly after the opening of the PON, a month later we will carry out the National Peparnas", he added.

He said the implementation of this national-scale sporting event would be carried out in four regions in Papua, namely Jayapura City, Mimika Regency, and Merauke Regency. There are 37 sports that will be competed with a total of 6.400 athletes and 3.500 officials.

Meanwhile, Peparnas is only carried out in two areas, namely Jayapura City and Jayapura Regency. There were 12 sports that were competed and 1.935 athletes and 740 officials participated.

Amali said that currently the readiness of facilities and infrastructure to welcome the two events was almost complete. "About 90 percent of what is left is finishing and also filling in the equipment or supplies inside, either in lodging or accommodation or venues", he said.

The final stage or finishing that needs to be done is inserting a bed, water heater at the inn or accommodation or venue. In addition, sports equipment for 26 of the 37 branches being competed are also being sent to Papua.

"It is certain that by the end of August all of them will be in Papua and some have even been installed because there are also sports that have carried out test events", said Amali.

Furthermore, he also said that President Jokowi had ordered all parties involved in PON and Peparnas to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Not only athletes and officials, vaccinations are also given to the community around the venue and accommodation.

"Earlier, the President's direction was to increase the number of vaccines for Papua and it is estimated that all vaccinations will be completed in August", said Amali.

Next in welcoming PON and Peparnas, the government has prepared a security scenario from terror acts. Amali said that the National Armed Force (TNI and Polri) had expressed their support for maintaining the security of the event.

"The National Police Chief and the TNI Commander have conveyed their full support and have even conveyed about the things that the two institutions will do", he concluded.