Inter Milan and Football Schools in Indonesia
Inter Milan will open football schools in Indonesia, the club said in the capital Jakarta on Wednesday, following a trend started by Arsenal and Liverpool.
“We are planning to build several football schools here,” club chief executive Ernesto Paolillo told reporters through a local translator.
“Indonesia is very important for us because the country has a lot of Inter Milan fans,” he said, without giving further details of the plan.
Local media showed images of the team arriving at the airport in Jakarta, where throngs of fans greeted them. The club claims to have 15 million fans in the country of 240 million people.
The team will play a friendly Thursday evening against an all-star Indonesian team made up of players from the national team, elite leagues and the under-23 youth team.
They will play the same team in a second friendly on Saturday.
“It’s the first time I’ve been to this country and it’s a real honour,” said captain Javier Zanetti.
“Thank you for the warmth you’ve shown. It’s been a tough season but we hope to make our fans happy, at least over the next few days.”
(AFP)
Badminton: Garuda Tops Malaysia’s Tigers
(The Jakarta Globe): Indonesia’s Garuda badminton team won the first leg of its Axiata Cup semifinal against Malaysia’s Tiger squad, but Sony Dwi Kuncoro’s stumble in the 2-1 victory means the next contest will be a highly charged affair.
Sony’s defeat gives the Tigers a lifeline they’ll try to take advantage in Sunday’s return leg at Cheras Badminton Stadium in Kuala Lumpur.
The inaugural $1 million men’s team tournament, now the sport’s biggest purse, uses a home-and-away format for the semifinals and finals, with set wins and total points making up the first and second tiebreakers, respectively.
Garuda has a 4-2 edge set wins. The 116-104 point disparity also favors the Indonesians.
But Tigers’ coach Rashid Sidek managed a smile after his team’s loss. “Garuda is strong, but at least we won a match,” he said.
Rashid had another reason to smile: injured star Lee Chong Wei, the world No. 1, might be available for the second leg.
It had been reported that Lee, who is nursing an injured right shoulder, was likely to play in the first leg, but Malaysia held him out at the last minute.
“We decided to give him more time to rest,” the coach said. “We might be able to play him in the second leg, but it depends on what the doctor says.”
Without Lee, the Tigers turned to world No. 28 Daren Liew to hold down the first singles spot, and he was easy pickings for Taufik Hidayat, Garuda’s top shuttler and the world No. 11.
Taufik beat Daren 21-19, 21-9 to put Garuda ahead at the Kelapa Gading Sports Mall in Jakarta.
In the men’s doubles match, the Tigers passed over Malaysia’s top pair, Koo Kien Keat and Tan Boon Heong, who have been criticized for a recent string of poor performances.
Instead, the team went with Lim Khim Wah and Goh Wei Shem. But they fell to Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan, 21-17, 21-17, giving Garuda an unassailable lead.
“We wanted to get more experience for Lim and Goh,” Tigers’ doubles coach Tan Kim Her said. “Koo and Tan will likely to play in the second leg. But we’ll see.”
Things turned some in the last match, with Sony losing 21-13, 21-19 to 2003 All England champion M. Hafiz Hashim. It was Sony’s first lost in the event after winning all three of his matches in the group stage.
“I apologize to all the fans because I failed to win the match,” Sony said. “I tried my best but just couldn’t finish him off.
Indonesia’s other team in the championship, Rajawali, plays Malaysia’s Leopard squad in the other semifinal. Their first- leg match is today in Kuala Lumpur.
Walk with him in Bandung
The Stevie G Hotel in the town of Bandung boasts 24 individually designed 24 rooms, with such intriguing names as Wooden Vibrancy, Alice is Lost, the Deer Hunter, What is Pop Art, and – of particular interest to Reds fans – the Anfield Room.
It features large portraits of such club legends as Robbie Fowler, Ian Rush Kenny Dalglish and of course Gerrard, and details of great moments in the club’s history.
Its Facebook page says: ‘Our hotel offer you the striking blend of architecture and natural surroundings, with the state of the art facilities presented here.
‘Stevie G Hotel has 24 executive rooms and every room features a uniqueness of the interior design to match your vibrant lifestyle.’
The Liverpool club website does not make any reference to the hotel, but it does have a page for the club’s Indonesian fans.
Last summer, former club captain Phil Neal, who played for the club 650 times, visited the country to help launch plans for official club soccer schools and an international academy.
a Lifetime Achievement Award for Chris John
Chris John, the country’s top boxer, has reached another milestone in his illustrious career, with the World Boxing Association bestowing on him a lifetime achievement award.
The featherweight super champion received the award during the 19th WBA Annual Awards Dinner in Panama City in Panama Last week.
Many top names in world boxing, including legends such as Britain’s Ricky Hatton and Thailand’s Khaosai Galaxy, attended the event.
“It’s really an honor as the award is a recognition of all my hard work,” the 32-year-old said.
Chris, dubbed the Dragon, has been unbeaten since he joined pro boxing in 1998. He has a 46-0-2 record with 22 KOs.
He has defended his crown 15 times since winning it in an interim bout against Oscar Leon in 2003 and now holds the record for WBA’s longest title reign in all divisions.
If he manages to defend the title four more times, Chris will level Eusebio Pedroza’s record for featherweight title defenses. The Panaman boxer defended his belt 19 times between 1978 to 1985.
Chris has said he will stay in boxing for another three years. If he can do that and keep the title, he’ll surpass US fighter Johnny Kilbane’s record title reign (1912 to 1923) in the division.
The Dragon, no doubt, is one of the best and has advanced Indonesia’s boxing scene reputation. But the fact that he’s the only champion from the country has caused him some concern.
“The state of Indonesian boxing, both amateur and pro, has been poor in the past years. There have barely been any boxing events in the country. Something need to be done to revive boxing here,” he told the Jakarta Globe on Monday before boarding a plane to Panama.
“I think local boxers need to train harder and improve their skills so fans will want to see them and investors will want to stage more tournaments. In return, they will earn more money and revive Indonesia’s boxing.”
Chris, whose next bout is temporarily scheduled for May 5 at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore against a still unnamed opponent, said he’ll try to help rejuvenating the sport in the country.
“After I retire, hopefully three years from now, I’ll try to spread my boxing knowledge and experience. Maybe I’ll build a gym,” he said. “I want to see more world champions from Indonesia and I hope that will be happening soon.”
taken from The Jakarta Globe 
see you in final!
The Under-21 national team continued to be a ray of sunshine amid the gloomy landscape of Indonesian football as it advanced to the Hassanal Bolkiah Trophy final on Wednesday.
The Young Garuda beat Vietnam 2-0 in their semifinal match at Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Stadium in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, to reach the final of the event featuring Asean Football Federation members’ U-21 teams.
In Friday’s championship, coach Widodo C. Putro’s side will play either host Brunei or Burma, who played later on Wednesday. Indonesia will try to win the event for the second time, having done so in the inaugural tournament in 2022.
Two Persebaya 1927 Surabaya strikers, Miko Ardianto and Andik Vermansyah, teamed up for Indonesia’s goals. Miko hit the first in the 35th minute after receiving a pass from Andik and the score stayed until halftime, and the 20-year-old returned the favor in the second half as he set up Andik for the second in the 71st.
Like the other national teams, the U-21s were restricted to selecting players from leagues sanctioned by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).
“I’m very pleased with the result, but I told the boys to keep their feet on the ground because this is not over yet,” Widodo told the Jakarta Globe by text message.
“The key to victory was our strong midfield. I told them not to let Vietnam’s players dominate the midfield and they did just that. Now I’ll try to get the players back to top fitness for Friday’s final after this grueling match.”
The victory was a welcome bit of good news, especially after the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs said on Tuesday that it would halt government funding for the PSSI. It partly blamed the incessant bickering in domestic football’s governing body for the senior team’s 10-0 loss at Bahrain in 2014 World Cup qualifying.
However, acting ministry secretary Djoko Pekik aid on Wednesday that there was still a chance the PSSI would receive this year’s budget, in which it asked for Rp 40 billion ($4.4 million).
“We’re waiting to see if the PSSI can restore order in its own house,” Djoko said. “If they can settle their differences in the March 18 congress, we’ll give the funding back to them.”
The PSSI is scheduled to hold its annual congress in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, on March 18, while rebel members have said they will hold their own summit in Jakarta on the same day.
Elsewhere, the Indonesian Premier League’s Arema Indonesia began its run in the AFC Cup with a 1-1 home draw against Burma’s Ayeyawady United.
Roman Chmelo put Arema ahead at Gajayana Stadium in Malang after 28 minutes. The host lost defender Gunawan Dwi Cahyo in the 41st minute to a red card for a tackle from behind on Jupiter Yves Ngangue, though.
The Burmese side leveled in the 63rd after Fariz Bagus Dhinata’s own-goal. The Arema defender scored into his own net while trying to block a shot by Ngangue.
taken from The Jakarta Globe
“The Longest Reign”
Olahraga tinju memang bukan olahraga paling populer di Indonesia. Meski begitu, olahraga ini pernah, paling tidak 3 kali, menguasai rumah-rumah orang Indonesia yang menjadi bahan perbincangan. Yang pertama adalah karena Muhammad Ali. Bapak dan Ibu saya pernah bilang bahwa jalan di kota Jogja (kota saya) akan kosong melompong kalau Muhammad Ali bertanding dan disiarkan live. Yang kedua adalah Mike Tyson, dan waktu jaya2nya, saya masih di tahun-tahun awal masa Sekolah Dasar saya. Saya masih begitu ingat ketika dia tanding dan disiarkan langsung di TV, sekolah kami pulang cepat, jam sembilan pagi sudah dibubarkan kelas-kelasnya. Penyebabnya sederhana, para guru dan kepala sekolah ingin nonton, dan mereka tidak ingin kehilangan moment-moment sejarah.
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Lalu yang ketiga adalah petinju nasional Ellyas Pical, dialah petinju pertama negeri ini yang mampu mengibarkan sang merah putih di pentas tinju professional tingkat dunia, saat berhasil menjuarai kelas Bantam Junior versi IBF pada tahun 1985. Saya juga masih ingat, rumah saya penuh dengan para tetangga yang juga tidak ingin ketinggalan menonton pertandingan Elly Pical, sang “exocet”.
Setelah masa ketiganya pudar, orang Indonesia (paling tidak saya) tak lagi merasakan hype yang sama, gegap gempita yang sama. Ada beberapa sebab, salah satunya mungkin adalah media massa kita yang kurang memberi porsi, sehingga prestasi para atlet kita (terutama tinju) jarang terdengar.
- Chris John
Jarang terdengar, bukan berarti tidak ada. Indonesia mempunyai juara unia tinju profesional Super Champion kelas bulu WBA Chris John. Dan bukan hanya sekedar juara dunia. Dia akan menerima penghargaan dari WBA sebagai petinju yang memegang gelar juara dunia terlama. Penghargaan itu akan diberikan langsung oleh Presiden WBA Gilberto Mendoza Jr di Panama bersamaan dengan Konvensi WBA di negara tersebut.
Nama penghargaan tersebut adalah Nomited for Fighter of The Year and Decade and They Give Special Award for Champion with The Longest Reign. Petinju dengan julukan The Dragon memegang gelar juara dunia sembilan tahun setelah merebutnya dari tangan petinju Kolombia, Oscar Leon melalui pertarungan ad-interim di Bali, Oktober 2003.
Sejak merebut gelar juara dunia tersebut, ayah dua putri ini sudah 15 kali mempertahankan gelarnya. Bahkan setelah menang atas Hiroyuki Enoki pada pertarungan di Jepang, 24 Oktober 2008, Chris John berhak menyandang gelar Super Champion karena berhasil mempertahankan gelar 10 kali berturut-turut.
See?
Kita mempunyai banyak hal yang membanggakan, namun kadang media kita tak terlalu antusias mengabarkan.
GP2: Rio Haryanto Joins Marussia Carlin Team, Moves Closer to F1 Goal
Rio Haryanto will start a new chapter in his racing career as he steps into the GP2 Series with the Marussia Carlin team.
Rio will undergo a preseason training test for his new team at the Circuito de Jerez, in southern Spain. The test will run through Thursday.
It won’t be his first time driving a GP2 car. Rio raced in last November’s postseason GP2 Final exhibition event at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for the DAMS team.
The Indonesian teenager officially joined Marussia Carlin last Friday, after spending the last two years with its subsidiary, Marussia Manor Racing, in the GP3 Series, a feeder class for GP2.
By moving up to GP2, Rio is one step closer to reaching his goal, which is to race in the Formula One circuit. That wouldn’t be a far-fetched dream as Marussia, a sport cars manufacturer from Russia, also has a team in the world’s premiere motorsports event.
“I am looking forward to my first year in the series with the Marussia Carlin GP2 Team,” Rio, 19, said in a statement. “GP2 is just a level below the most prestigious single-seater racing event in the world, Formula One.”
GP2 was inaugurated in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term F1 feeder series, Formula 3000.
Lewis Hamilton, the 2008 F1 world champion, began his career after winning the GP2 in 2006.
The Semarang-born Rio, who has been racing since he was 8, raced in the 2010 GP3 season after winning the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific championship and finished fifth overall in his debut with Marussia Manor Racing.
Last year he picked up two victories, in Germany and Hungary, to finish seventh for the season.
Rio has been a part of the Marussia F1 Team Young Driver Program for the past two years and was the first Indonesian to drive an F1 car when he was invited by Virgin Racing to the Young Driver Test in Abu Dhabi in 2010.
“Rio is an extremely welcome addition to the team,” said Trevor Carlin, Marussia Carlin’s racing director. “He is still very young but having watched him firsthand in GP3 last year, I’m sure we’ll see some exciting racing from him this year.”
The 12-series GP2 season is scheduled to start in Sepang, Malaysia, on March 24-25.
Antara, JG
Taken from: The Jakarta Globe
RI Thomas Cup team satisfied securing third place in qualification round
Macau (ANTARA News) – The Indonesian Thomas Cup team was satisfied after securing a third place in the Asia Zone Thomas Cup qualification round here on Saturday beating Malaysia 3-2 as they thought the most important was for them to pass to the final round in Wuhan, China.
“That was what we had been able to do. So we have to be satisfied with it. Our actual aim here is indeed to pass to the final round in Wuhan,” men`s single player Simon Santoso said.
Simon withdrew from the match for a third place against Malaysian player Daren Liew due to ankle injure while he was left behind in points 2-7.
“What is important is we must fight again in the match in Wuhan later. It is still a long way to go,” the world`s ranked 10th player said.
Men`s double player Alvent Yulianto shared his view saying what was important was passing the qualification round.
“In terms of team I am satisfied as what is important for Indonesia is to proceed to the final round. Ranks are not important,” he said.
But personally he said he was was not quite satisfied with his performance that day.
Indonesia advanced to compete for a third place after in the semifinal it was beaten by defending champion China 0-3 while Malaysia surrendered to Japan also 0-3. China and Japan are scheduled to meet in the final round of the qualification round on Sunday.
Malaysia seemed not very serious in the competition for a third place by fielding men`s double player Koo Kien Keat to play in the men`s single against Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka.
In the final match Hayom won 21-8, 21-9 to confirm Indonesia`s victory over Malaysia 3-2.
Malaysia`s manager Dato`Syed Abu Bakar who also did not field number one player Lee Chong Wei denied the accusation saying “we wished to give an opportunity to players who seldom play at international tournaments to play like Daren and Arif,” he said.
About Koo he said that Koo used to be a single player while he was still junior.
“We only brought 10 players here and Koo was once a single player and so there was nothing wrong if we decided to field him,” he said.
Inter Milan team to visit RI in May
Jakarta (ANTARA News) – A team of Italian football club Inter Milan is going to visit Jakarta next May 2012 to hold an exhibition match with Indonesia Selection and Indonesia U-23 teams, a source said.
“Indonesia has a great potentials in football, this is the reason we choose to come to Indonesia,” the club`s Chief Executive Officer, Ernesto Paolillo, said here on Monday.
Apart from conducting an exhibition match with local football players, Paolillo said, his side would also hold discussions to establish a football school in Jakarta and other provinces in Indonesia.
Meanwhile , the chairman of the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI), Djohar Arifin, warmly welcomeds Inter Milan`s plan to visit Indonesia.
“We will prepare our players to face Inter Milan next May,” he said.
Inter Milan is set to play an exhibition match against Indonesia Selection team next May 24 and against U-23 team in May 26.
The Italian football club will bring along its star players such as Diego Forlan, Julio Cesar, Esteban Cambiaso, Diego Militio, Walter Samuel, Christian Chivu, Dejan Stankovic and Ricardo Alvarez.
Other players set to visit Indonesia are Yuto Nagatomo, Marco Faraoni, Coutinho and Luc Castignos.(*)
Madrid Opens Seven Soccer Schools in Indonesia
TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The chance for Indonesian children to play for an international soccer club, Real Madrid, is now a reality with the giant club opening seven soccer schools in Indonesia this March.
“We won’t just teach techniques, but also about character. We have access there so it’s not impossible for the children to play there,” Indonesian Real Madrid Foundation chairman, Faisal, said yesterday.
The seven schools that will be inaugurated on March 3 will be located in Aceh, Yogyakarta, East Java, South Sulawesi, South Kalimantan and Papua. The foundation, said Faisal, also plans to open one school in each province by 2016.
