JAKARTA -- Indonesia plans to send 670 athletes to vie in 45 sports during the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games slated for Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 in the Philippines, an executive at Indonesian Olympics committee said here on Oct. 8.
Due to budget limitations, possible changing of sports and athletes to vie in the upcoming regional multi-sports event may occur as evaluation process carried out by the committee was still underway at present, head of Indonesian Olympics Committee (KOI) Erick Thohir said.
"But the important thing is that government allocation to finance Indonesian sports delegation in the event won't be changed, remains set at 47 billion rupiah (about USD3.3 million)," Erick said.
The KOI would welcome potential athletes or team willing to compete in SEA Games on their own budget, he added.
He said it has happened before in 2015 Singapore SEA Games when national basket association sent its women's team on its own budget.
Erick expected that Indonesia can seize 45 gold medals in the upcoming SEA Games, or higher than 38 the nation obtained in 2017 Malaysia SEA Games.
Among the sports that Indonesia has registered to vie in the Games are athletics, archery, badminton, baseball, basketball, boxing, chess, cycling, football, karate, wushu, golf, gymnastics, weightlifting, volleyball, shooting, hockey, squash, softball, and e-sport.
The 30th SEA Games in the Philippines will stage 56 sports, the highest number in SEA Games history. Some 9,840 athletes from 11 countries are expected to contend in the biennial sports event. (Xinhua)
