President Instructs Investigation

BIRO PERS SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN/RUSMAN

President Joko Widodo.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo instructed the Youth and Sports Ministry to carry out an internal evaluation and conduct a thorough investigation in connection with the sanctions imposed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Indonesia.

President Jokowi even asked the Youth and Sports Ministry to carry out a total reform of the Indonesian Anti-Doping Agency (LADI) following the sanctions, which are considered to have embarrassed the Indonesian nation.

"The Youth and Sports minister has been asked to immediately improve communication with WADA. The President hopes that this problem will be resolved soon so that the name of Indonesia is restored," said deputy for protocol, press and media of the Presidential Secretariat, Bey T Machmuddin, when reporting the results of a limited meeting presided over by President Jokowi, Friday (22/10/2021) at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta.

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Besides being attended by Vice President Ma'ruf Amin, the meeting related to the follow-up of the handling of the WADA sanctions was also attended by Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali, State Secretary Pratikno, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati , Deputy Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Kartika Wirjoatmodjo and LADI general chairman Musthofa Fauzi.

Due to the sanctions, the Indonesian flag could not be hoisted at international events, such as when the Indonesian badminton team won the 2020 Thomas Cup in Denmark. Separately, Sports Minister Zainudin Amali  said at a press conference on Friday that he had formed a team (the Task Force for the Acceleration of the Settlement of WADA Sanctions) and was working quickly to fulfill LADI’s requirements requested by WADA.

The President wanted to know who was involved and responsible. He also invited assistance from other parties to help LADI.

The President asked for an investigation as to why the problem occurred, which is to be announced publicly. The President wanted to know who was involved and responsible. He also invited assistance from other parties to help LADI.

KOMPAS/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH

Sports Minister Zainudin Amali.

Deputy chairman of LADI Dr. Rheza Maulana Syahputra explained that one way to accelerate the settlement of WADA sanctions against Indonesia is through special assistance from a National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO). WADA appointed Japan's NADO, namely JADA (Japan Anti-Doping Agency) to supervise LADI.

The arrears have been in existence since 2017.

However, to start supervision with JADA, LADI must resolve 24 pending matters. Parts of the pending problems include LADI's non-compliance with the annual doping test plan, troubles in filling out the code of compliance in WADA accounts and arrears in bills to the Anti-Doping Laboratory in Qatar. In a coordination meeting between LADI, Youth and Sports Ministry, Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), National Sports Council (KONI) and the Indonesian National Paralympic Committee, Thursday (21/10), it was revealed that LADI still has arrears in bills to the Qatar Anti-Doping Laboratory of around Rp 300 million (US$21,081). The arrears have been in existence since 2017.

According to Rheza, the arrears of the bills were only discovered by the new LADI management when they made an evaluation on the memorandum of understanding with the Qatar Anti-Doping Laboratory.

AFP/RITZAU SCANPIX/CLAUS FISKER

Players from Indonesia celebrates after winning the Thomas Cup men's team tournament in Aarhus, Denmark, on October 17, 2021.

"Supervision with JADA can only start if the financial obligations to the laboratory in Qatar have been settled," he said. Another important point of the coordination meeting is the need for a real and detailed plan related to the doping sampling plan during the 2021 Papua National Paralympic Week (Peparnas). It was reported that there was a later provision stating that doping sampling at the event would be carried out by the private sector as the event organizer.

"This is completely against WADA's code of conduct and has the potential to become a violation in the future," said Rheza. (HAR/IG A/DRI)

(This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo)