Impartiality Commitment to Sporting People with Disabilities
At the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, Indonesia won two gold, three silver and four bronze medals to finish the competition in 43rd place on the medal tally.
By
kompas team
·5 minutes read
BPMI SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN
President Joko Widodo expressed his appreciation and congratulations to the Indonesian contingent for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. At the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, Indonesia won two gold medals, three silver medals and four bronze medals.
The government’s appreciation for the country’s Paralympic delegation has demonstrated a commitment to equality, which is crucial to promoting sports for athletes with disabilities.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The government has fulfilled its commitment to give equal attention to the development of para-sports by giving the athletes participating in the recent 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games the same bonus rewards as their fellow athletes competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The equal treatment is expected to stimulate enthusiasm among the athletes with disabilities to push for high achievement at Paris 2024.
“We and all Indonesian people welcome you back joyously and proudly. We give our highest appreciation for the struggle and hard work you have shown in upholding the dignity of the nation and state," President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said when receiving the Indonesian Paralymic delegation at the Bogor Presidential Palace, West Java, on Friday (17/9/2021).
The President hailed the results of the Indonesian team in Tokyo as a huge leap of achievement.
At the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics 2016, the Red-White team brought home one bronze to finish in 76th place.
At the Tokyo Paralympics 2020, Indonesia won two gold, three silver and four bronze medals to finish the competition in 43rd place on the medal tally. At the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics 2016, the Red-White team brought home one bronze to finish in 76th place.
Indonesia’s gold medals were won in the SL3-SU5 event courtesy of badminton women\'s doubles Leani Ratri Oktila and Khalimatus Sadiyah and the SL3-SU5 mixed doubles Leani and Hary Susanto.
Silvers came from the badminton men\'s singles event (SU5) from Dheva Anrimusthi, women\'s singles (SL4) Leani and women\'s 41kg weightlifter Ni Nengah Widiasih.
ANTARA FOTO/HO-NPC INDONESIA
Indonesian powerlifting athlete Ni Nengah Widiasih shows the silver medal she won in the 41 kg women\'s powerlifting event at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics at the Tokyo International Forum, Japan, Thursday (26/8/2021).
Bronzes were grabbed by the SU5 men\'s singles badminton player Suryo Nugroho, SL4 men\'s singles Fredy Setiawan, T37 100-meter runner Sapto Yoga Purnomo and C10 table tennis player David Jacobs.
“Thanks for the gold from badminton. It was not just one, but two in quick succession. This is a leap in performance. You have proven that you can compete in the global arena. Congratulations also to silver and bronze winners," the President said.
For the achievement, the government handed out bonuses to all Paralympic delegation members.
Gold winners reaped Rp 5.5 billion (US$ 385,603) per person, silver winner Rp 2.5 billion and bronze Rp 1.5 billion. Gold-winning coaches received Rp 2.5 billion, silver Rp 1 billion and bronze Rp 600 million.
Other non-medal winning athletes and coaches were also rewarded, each pocketing Rp 100 million. The cash bonuses appeared to be the same amount with that received by fellow athletes competing in the Olympics.
Cause of inspiration
The President hoped that the Indonesian team\'s achievements at the Tokyo Paralympics could serve inspiration and motivation for other athletes and the public.
He warned against self-complacency and urged the athletes and coaches to immediately prepare for the Paris Paralympics, which are only three years away.
"We hope that in the 2024 Paralympics, we can achieve even higher," he said.
Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali attributed Indonesia’s achievement at the 2020 Paralympics to the government’s impartiality approach in developing para-sports and sports in general.
The number of athletes qualifying for the Tokyo Paralympics increased significantly, from nine athletes in four sports at Rio 2016 to 23 athletes in seven branches at Tokyo 2020. The larger squad helped Indonesia in pursuing more medals.
NPC INDONESIA
Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali welcomed the arrival of the last batch of the Indonesian contingent at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics at Terminal 3 of Soekarno-Hatta Airport, Cengkareng, Tangerang, Tuesday (7/9/2021).
Equal development of the para and general sports is contained in the National Sports Grand Design (DBON) as mandated in Presidential Regulation No. 26/2021.
Ratified on 9 September, the regulation carries several main points, one being Indonesia\'s focus on developing sports with prospective medal-winning at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
"Through DBON, the government administers impartiality for the development of para and general sports with equal opportunities to training and competing in international tournaments," the sports minister said.
Equal opportunity
Para-badminton coach Sapta Kunta Purnama felt flattered by the bonus reward and considered the government’s appreciation and impartial treatment of the para-athletes as seeing them as human beings.
He said the athletes with disabilities were given equal opportunities (with abled athletes) to thrive. So were the coaches in the efforts to produce champions.
"This is inspiration and motivation for people with disabilities, that a field is available for them to engage in making the nation proud," Kunta said, adding that the bonuses could be of significance in helping them prepare for their future retirement.
David saw the government’s commitment to equal treatment as a symbol that taking up a sport as a profession had promising prospects.
One among the senior athletes, David offered his advice to young atheletes, saying that they should not hesitate in becoming sportsmen and women.
"This is the hope for young people with disabilities from birth, or as a result of an accident that they can choose sport as a profession, and as a way of life," the table tennis player said.
Sports observer Fritz Simanjuntak also appreciated the government\'s goodwill, saying that it underlined President Jokowi\'s policies on equality and impartiality.
AP PHOTO/KIICHIRO SATO
Leani Ratri Oktila (right) and her partner Hary Susanto (left) pose after receiving the gold medal in the mixed doubles SL3-SU5 on the last day of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics in Tokyo, Japan, Sunday (5/9/2021).
The much-appreciated bonus aside, the government is called to ensure that the hopes for an emergence of new Olympic and Paralympic champions were offset with efforts to create disability-friendly sports infrastructure.
“Currently, the city that gives disability-friendly environment is Solo. The Paralympic national training camp was held there. It is advisable for the government to build more training and match infrastructure equally as good in many other cities (as in Solo),” Fritz said. (INA/DRI/KEL/IG A)
