Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali accentuated that Indonesian sports must be free from doping, and achievements should be delivered only through training and strenuous work.
"We want Indonesia to have stellar sporting achievements at the global level, yet achievements must be made only through training, hard work, and discipline, instead of using any means, including doping," the minister stated at a seminar on "Stakeholders' Synergy to Realise Doping-free Indonesian Sports" here, Wednesday.
The anti-doping seminar is the first to be organized by the Indonesia Anti-doping Organization (IADO) since its inception to replace the Indonesian Anti-doping Institute (LADI), he noted.
The minister remarked that apart from disseminating information on anti-doping regulations to sports federations, coaches, and athletes, the seminar demonstrated Indonesia's resolve to realize clean and sportsmanlike sports, especially with the presence of World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) representatives.
"This event could bolster Indonesia's (positive) image before the WADA and the global community for our commitment to realise disciplined and sportsmanlike sports with our anti-doping determination," Amali remarked.
Related news: WADA to audit Indonesia Anti-Doping Organization in 2023
The 2021 WADA sanction against Indonesia due to failure to abide by international anti-doping test standards, which stripped the country of rights to participate in and host world championships, is a stern reminder for Indonesia to not repeat the same mistake.
"WADA has a complete regulation. I realized that we must understand anti-doping regulations only when we were sanctioned. I hope the sanction will be the last, and the sanction we received at that time provided a valuable lesson on anti-doping for us," the minister expounded.
Meanwhile, IADO Chairperson Gatot S. Dewa Broto stated that the 2021 sanction was not only aimed at two doping cases among Indonesian athletes but also to penalize Indonesia's abysmal anti-doping governance.
"There were actually only two athletes involved in the doping case, but (the sanction was also) because Indonesia's anti-doping governance was deplorable. Just as what WADA representatives stated earlier, (at that time) regulations were not observed, communications were not good, and WADA obligations were not honored," he remarked.
Related news: WADA to provide material in National Anti-Doping Forum
Related news: KONI, IADO to intensify anti-doping education in Indonesia
