Sports Campaign

KOMPAS/TOTOK WIJAYANTO

The Indonesian national team coach Shin Tae-Yong monitored the training and selection process for U-19 players before the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic in January 2020. Training was held at the Wibawa Mukti Stadium, Cikarang, Bekasi, West Java.

Endurance is needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. People have remembered the importance of exercise as a source of energy to improve the immune system.

The need for participation in sports to maintain good health was highlighted in a joint statement by 118 members of the United Nations in July of this year. The statement called on all countries to promote sports in an effort to promote recovery during the pandemic.

The joint statement said that sports and physical activity were important for our health. These activities have both physical and mental health benefits and can help prevent stress and anxiety disorders.

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International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach made a similar assertion. “Sport is contributing to the recovery from the crisis and to creating better world on the health, social and economic side,” Bach said in a statement posted in the IOC website (Kompas, 7 September 2020).

The statement issued by the United Nations and the IOC regarding sports and physical activity is important for us in Indonesia, which has long been categorized as a society that tends to be “reluctant to move”. In an opinion article in Kompas published on March 14, doctor Samsuridjal Djauzi wrote, "People are reluctant to walk. When parking their cars, they always try to find a space closer to the destination. When in the office, even if it has only two or three floors, they prefer using the elevator. Opportunities for walking and exercising are neglected."

In June 2020, the cyclists increased to 235, more than 10 times the October figure.

The COVID-19 pandemic, accidentally, has created a passion for exercise. According to observations by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in June, there was a significant increase in the number cyclists along the 6.3 kilometer bicycle track, especially from the Dukuh Atas area to the south and north segments (the Senayan Traffic Circle to the Hotel Indonesia Traffic Circle). In October 2019, only 21 cyclists used the track per day. In June 2020, the cyclists increased to 235, more than 10 times the October figure.

HUMAS PSSI

Indonesian U-19 football match and the Bulgarian team in Croatia, Saturday (5/9/2020). Indonesia lost 0-3.

The community’s enthusiasm for exercise showed significant growth, as indicated by the increase in the number of the people taking part in foot races in recent  years. Even during the pandemic, while many running competitions have been postponed or canceled, many people still run in public spaces.

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The government should respond to this phenomenon by campaigning to promote the importance of exercise for the wider community. The sports campaign for average citizens seems to have been forgotten amid the government’s efforts to promote sports for competition. If the public is healthy because they regularly exercise, they will also tend to be more productive.

In the New Order era, the slogan "Memasyarakatkan Olahraga dan Mengolahragakan Masyarakat” (Promoting Sports and Encouraging the Society to Do Sports) was very popular. Now, even without such a campaign, people carry out sporting activities on their own initiative. It is now up to the government to further to promote sports activities in more effective ways so that people’s sporting activities can grow further.

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The commemoration of National Sports Day on Wednesday (9/9/2020), can be used as an opportunity to promote sports as an important element of life, especially during the pandemic, when exercise can be a source of recovery