Widodo wants well of Asiad publicity

Heard much lately about the 18th Asian Games opening in Indonesia less than two months from now’?

If you haven’t, you’re not alone. Even the host country’s leader feels organizers must do more to publicize the Games as they draw closer.

AntaraNews.com, the official Indonesian news website, says President Joko Widodo is afraid that interest in the Games with a reported total cost to his government of $3.2 billion had not intensified and reached fever pitch.

During a recent gathering of athletes, musicians and artists at the State Palace, Widodo repeated his call for a bottomless well of Asiad publicity.

He wants the drum beating to get louder and constant for this year’s Games to run Aug. 18 to Sept. 2 in the cities of Jakarta and Palembang.

The Asiad, the region’s biggest and most important multisport event, will host at least 10,000 athletes from 45 national Olympic committees, including ours, who will compete in 67 disciplines and 463 events.

Widodo’s urgent call for frequent Games-related news to attract worldwide attention and tourism traffic to his shores is a cautionary tale for our government officials who will organize and host the 11-nation Southeast Asian Games next year.

The Philippine Sports Commission announced recently that a funding of P72 million has been released for an initial list of 282 Asiad-bound Filipino athletes.

The total allocation and the final number of athletes in about 30 sports are yet to be released by the PSC and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

Included in the delegation is a women’s volleyball team that will compete in the Asiad for the first time in 36 years and will be dwarfed by superpowers China, South Korea and Japan.

Criteria for inclusion to this year’s contingent has been “relaxed a bit for some extraordinary cases,” according to POC spokesman Ed Picson, who is also secretary general of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (Abap).

For example, eight boxers will go instead of only the two automatically included by virtue of their gold and silver finish in the last SEA Games, Picson said.

“As to expectations, (POC President) Ricky Vargas’ avowed objective is to improve on our 22nd place performance in Incheon, South Korea, in 2014,” said Picson. “We would be happy if we get it up to number 15.”

The Philippines woeful stint in the last Asiad resulted in one gold, three silver and 11 bronze medals.