The excitement about the PON can be felt more in the arenas, such as at the Lukas Enembe sports complex, which is about 9 kilometers or 20 minutes from Sentani Airport.
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FABIO MARIA LOPES COSTA/MUHAMMAD IKHSAN MAHAR/KELVIN HIANUSA/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH
·5 minutes read
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Spectators in the stands for the 2021 Papua PON football match between West Java and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) at the Mandala Stadium, Jayapura, Papua, Thursday (30/9/2021). Many football spectators in the arena have not been able to properly implement health protocols to prevent the transmission of Covid-19.
JAYAPURA, KOMPAS — In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic and security issues, the 2021 Papua National Games have finally kicked off, starting with a softball match in Jayapura city on Wednesday (22/9/2021). Even though there were problems, the public was very excited and enthusiastic about watching the match long before the national games (PON) were officially opened on Saturday (2/10). They did not want to miss the opportunity to see first-hand the performance of national athletes in Papua.
A resident of Jayapura regency, Sonny Wanggai (64), watched the match at Mandala Stadium in Jayapura city, when the West Java football team defeated East Nusa Tenggara 1-0 in the second match of Group A, on Thursday (30/9).
According to him, the Papuan people had really missed the atmosphere of a soccer match at Mandala Stadium after the last time they held a Persipura Jayapura match during the 2019 Indonesian League 1 soccer competition.
“I am happy that Mandala [Stadium] is the venue for football matches. I don\'t want to miss a game even if Papua doesn\'t play. Because this is the only opportunity for Papua to host the PON in my life,” he said.
The spirit to enliven the PON was also evident from the arrival of several people from outside the four organizing clusters (cities), namely Jayapura city, Jayapura regency, Mimika regency and Merauke.
Angel Imbiri (17), for example, traveled for 18 hours by boat from Serui, Yapen Islands regency to Jayapura city to watch PON matches.
He was willing to jostle to find a place to get a closer look at the rowers competing in Youtefa Bay, Jayapura city, on Wednesday (29/9).
For the sake of watching the PON event, Angel also had to be vaccinated for Covid-19 in the morning before heading to the rowing arena.
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Spectators act when watching the 2021 Papua PON football match between West Java and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) at the Mandala Stadium, Jayapura, Papua, Thursday (30/9/2021).
Apart from the residents, volunteers also showed their enthusiasm for the success of the PON. A student from a high school in Sentani, Jayapura regency, Rutha (18), is willing to fight tirelessly to accept photo requests from visitors, journalists and the contingent at Barnabas Youwe Stadium, Sentani.
Rutha is a volunteer whose job is to welcome guests who want to re-register and activate their identity cards to access the arena. Rutha wore a full rumbai skirt with a headdress and a painting on her face. Her appearance became the main attraction at the location for welcoming guests from outside Papua.
Great enthusiasm was also shown by around 900 dancers who were involved in the opening ceremony of the PON at the Lukas Enembe Main Stadium, Jayapura regency. The dancers from various schools in Papua were energetic in participating in the rehearsal, on Tuesday (28/9).
"We are very excited because the Papuan PON will not necessarily be held again in a hundred years. So, we want to be involved in this celebration. We are proud,” said one of the dancers, Megel C. Bonyadone (17).
Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo
Spectators packed the rowing competition arena of the XX Papua National Sports Week (PON) 2021 at Youtefa Bay, Jayapura City, Wednesday (29/9/2021). The high enthusiasm of the public to watch the 2021 PON XX Papua match has not been supported by the awareness and discipline of citizens in implementing the Covid-19 prevention health protocol.
Lively city
Based on Kompas’ observation, in the last few days, people’s enthusiasm about PON could already be seen since arriving at Sentani Airport, Jayapura regency. The road from the airport to the city center is decorated with a number of PON banners and billboards. Shops, food stalls and offices also put up banners expressing support and wishes for the success of the 20th national games.
The excitement about the PON can be felt more in the arenas, such as at the Lukas Enembe sports complex, which is about 9 kilometers or 20 minutes from Sentani Airport. Residents filled the arena where matches were held, such as water polo at the Lukas Enembe Aquatic Arena, which is right in front of the Lukas Enembe Main Stadium.
To prevent Covid-19, the PON Organizing Committee and the National Police (Polri) provide vaccination booths in every arena. Many residents take advantage of these services to enter the arena. From the data of the Covid-19 task force, in the last seven days, 26,716 people were vaccinated with the first dose and 17,507 people received the second dose of vaccine in four cities that host different games.
National Police chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, when visiting one of the Covid-19 vaccination booths in Jayapura city on Thursday, asked his staff in the four cities that host the PON to increase the vaccination rate by 70 percent.
Papua Governor Lukas Enembe said the success of the PON was proof of the dignity of Papuans as part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia. Lukas hopes the PON can give birth to new sports talents from Papua who will be able to make Indonesia proud.
However, in fact, the enthusiasm of the residents has not been accompanied by the implementation of health protocols in a disciplined manner by the committee. In some arenas, residents can enter without needing to show proof of having received two doses of the vaccine. They also filled the arena beyond the limit of 25 percent of the total capacity and did not apply social distancing.
Most of the spectators are also not wearing masks. Some wear masks, but they are lowered to the chin. This fact must be the main concern so that the PON do not become a momentary euphoria and cause a Covid-19 disaster afterward.
