Agnes Winarti
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Despite not being fully ready financially, the Indonesian senior men’s softball team ensures their participation in the World Men’s Softball Championship in Saskatoon , Saskatchewan , Canada , in order to maintain the country’s image.
“We have collected fund from the local softball community to cover the contingent’s airfare. We are 80 to 90 percent ready, financially, to depart to Canada ,†chairman of the Indonesian Baseball and Softball Association (PERBASASI) Gugun Yudinar told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
PERBASASI requires around Rp 900 million (US$81,818) to cover the expenses of sending the softball men’s team to Saskatoon.
A contingent of 17 players and six officials will depart Wednesday for the July 17-26 world championship. The country secured a place in the event for the first time, after finishing third in the 2006 Asian Championships in Japan behind the hosts and runner-up the Philippines .
If Indonesia is absent from the event, Gugun said, the Asian region would be given a penalty by losing a place in the next championship.
“That happened once to Africa . Thus, we don’t want to disgrace our country,†said Gugun.
He hoped for the additional financial assistance previously promised by the State Ministry for Youth Affairs and Sports.
Indonesia will have its first pitch against Puerto Rico on July 17. Due to merely two weeks of training preparation, Gugun is no longer aiming for a place in the top 10 teams as he previously hoped for.
“The realistic target is getting the experience to play there,†Gugun said.
The world championship is participated by 16 countries, divided into two groups. The Indonesian team is in Group B with Australia , Czech Republic, Argentina , Venezuela, South Africa , Puerto Rico, and Canada , while Group A consists of Cuba, Denmark, New Zealand, USA, Botswana, Great Britain , Japan, and Philippines.