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op-performing athletes may expect to be financially better off, following a penned cooperation between the National Sports Council (KONI) and Tokyo-based sports marketing agency Dentsu, in Jakarta on Thursday.

"We mainly aim to better promote our athletes publicly. We realize that all this time we haven't succeeded in endorsing our achieving athletes," KONI chairwoman Rita Subowo said at a press conference after signing an MoU on the National Olympic Official Program (NOOP).

KONI also launched its new commercial logo with the motto "Ayo Indonesia" (Come on Indonesia) during Thursdays event.

"When our the athletes perform well, they usually become stars for only a day or two, then their names just fade away, while they still have to juggle their training, education and need to make ends meet," said Dentsu Indonesia president director Harris Thajeb.

"We are concerned with their conditions. Thus we want to assist them by encouraging more private companies to contribute to these sportspeople through their CSR *corporate social responsibility* programs."

The program will pick 30 athletes, including young and talented athletes.

KONI secretary-general Rosihan Arsyad mentioned several names likely for selection, including weight lifters Eko Yuli Irawan Triyatna and Sandow Waldeman Nasution, as well as beach volleyball pair Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro and Andy Ardiansyah.

"Companies participating in this program will be allowed to have the athletes endorse their products," Harris said.

"With a fine packaging over their bankable good-looking posture and performance, these athletes are beneficial assets for both KONI and their sports associations," said Rita, adding she expected to complete the list before the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Laos in December.

The cooperation runs until 2011.

Dentsu has had experience in soccer's World Cup and Euro, and in the Beijing Olympic Games, where it drew in US$100 million from sports advertising.