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Organizers race against the clock to complete venues
Youth and Sports Minister Roy Suryo insists that preparations for the upcoming Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) are on track
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outh and Sports Minister Roy Suryo insists that preparations for the upcoming Islamic Solidarity Games (ISG) are on track.
The third staging of the multi-event sporting showcase, for members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will take place in Palembang, South Sumatra, from Sept. 22 to Oct. 1.
'We only have a small problem with the archery field and scoring boards, but that will be solved in two days,' Roy said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the 5th Yonex-Sunrise men's doubles championships on Wednesday.
Faisal A. Al-Nassar secretary-general of the Islamic Solidarity Games Federation (ISSF) ' the organization responsible for the direction and control of the ISG ' recently expressed his disappointment over what he called the 'sluggish development progress' of the archery field at the Jakabaring Sports Compound. He was recently in Palembang to see how the preparations were proceeding.
Roy said that chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Rita Subowo had also been to Palembang and would meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta to discuss some technical issues.
'On Saturday, Coordinating People's Welfare Minister Agung Laksono, the central organizers and myself will go to Palembang to finish things up. There are no significant problems that could hamper the event,' he said.
Thirty-eight of the 57 OIC nations have confirmed they will participate in the ISG.
Palembang replaced Pekanbaru as the host due to the latter's failure to meet the preparation deadline ' not to mention corruption cases.
Palembang was the venue for the 2011 National Games (PON) and Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.
Roy said the organizers were unable to grant requests from several senior officials for additional rooms for their entourage.
'It was not the rooms [that were the issue] but, rather, the standard of accommodation available,' he said.
He said that the ISSF representatives would be kept up to date with preparation for the ISG.
After the event was agreed upon in Malaysia in 2003, the ISG's debut was in Saudi Arabia in 2005. The second ISG, scheduled for 2010 in Tehran, was canceled by the ISSF because the host reportedly failed to provide the appropriate facilities.
