JAKARTA The golf sport certainly did not participate in the Hangzhou 2023 Asian Games which will take place from September 23 to September 8.
The reason for the sport could not be conveyed by the Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee Raja Sapta Oktohari during the inauguration of the Indonesian contingent at the PUPR Ministry Balauring, Jakarta, Tuesday, September 19.
"That golf was forced to resign given that the mechanism in the point counting process did not allow us to get a place or a medal," he said.
"We are grateful to the big Indonesian golf board for finally being able to evaluate and consistently provide the best for Indonesia," he continued.
Without golf, Indonesia only sent 30 sports and 413 athletes to the four-year event. In the previous calculation that included golf, Indonesia should have sent 415 athletes and 31 sports.
Meanwhile, during the inauguration of the Indonesian contingent, the Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo advised all athletes sent by Indonesia to uphold sportsmanship.
"We as symbols of the Republic of Indonesia there must show our Indonesian attitudes. And most importantly focus and win as many gold medals as possible," he said.
At this year's Asian Games, Indonesia departed with a target of bringing home 12 gold medals. That number shrank to be compared to the previous edition when Indonesia hosted.
The target was lowered because the pencak silat sport which contributed almost half of Indonesia's gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games was not competed this year.
"I also want to convey to the public that finally our Asian Games are the hosts and today we are tested as participants in foreign countries. So, there will be many differences, one of the most significant is not competed in pencak silat sports," said Dito.
"So there must be a change in the medal, but we with our target of 12 gold medals and finishing in the top 17. I feel that what has been prepared has been maximized and there has been a change in the golf sport," he added.
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