Australia-Indonesia Joint Sports Initiatives Boost South East Asian Games Preparations

Sports coaches, administrators, physiotherapists, professors, doctors and teachers were amongst the Indonesian participants in today’s sports seminar: Training Structures in Elite Sports: An International Perspective, hosted by the Australian Embassy in cooperation with the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI). The seminar attendees travelled from as far as Aceh and Surabaya, representing mainstream sports such as football and badminton, as well as traditional Indonesian sports such as Pencak Silat.

The seminar was presented by Australian strength and conditioning expert Dr. Jeremy Sheppard from the Queensland Academy of Sport, who also gathered his expertise working in Canada and Europe, in a number of sports including volleyball and American football.

Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Greg Moriarty said “this is the second such seminar that we have hosted and the support shown by Indonesia’s sports sector has been overwhelming. These seminars are great examples of recent sports cooperation initiatives between Australia and Indonesia.”

“Close cooperation and exchanges through sport are excellent ways to build bridges and develop stronger people-to-people links between Australia and Indonesia,” Ambassador Moriarty added.

Secretary General of KOI Mr Arie Ariotedjo is a strong supporter of the cooperation in sport between Indonesia and Australia. “We welcome any opportunities for our coaches and sports teachers to develop their skills, and I am confident that programs such as these seminars will positively impact Indonesia’s preparations for the South East Asian Games in November,” Ariotedjo said.

Ambassador Moriarty also announced the opening of applications for the 2011 Australia-Indonesia Institute sponsored Allan Taylor Sports Grant - another Australian initiative designed to develop sport in Indonesia. The grant commemorates the enormous contribution made to the bilateral relationship by a former Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, the late Mr Allan Taylor AM. Mr Taylor was a keen sportsperson so the grant aims to fund programs that increase opportunities for Indonesians to participate in sport and physical activity.

The 2010 Allan Taylor Sports Grant was awarded to KOI enabling them to run a one week strength and conditioning course for 25 coaches.

More details on the Allan Taylor Sports Grant are available at http://www.dfat.gov.au/aii.

Media Enquiries:
Sanchi Davis, Cultural Attaché - tel. (021) 2550 5260 mob. 0811 187 3175