Luhut welcomes multi-year national training, sees it as key to long-term athlete development

Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, Chairman of the National Athletics Association (PB PASI), has welcomed the government's proposed multi-year national training program (Pelatnas), calling it a strategic step for sustainable national sports development. He emphasized that athletic success, marked by medals and national pride, is the culmination of years of dedication and hard work, often unseen by the public.

Pandjaitan's statement comes in response to President Prabowo Subianto's directive to transform national sports policy, including multi-year budgeting for training and early-age talent identification. Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir previously indicated President Prabowo's support for a robust national sports ecosystem through long-term development, including the potential establishment of a National Sports Academy to scout talent from elementary school age.

"As the Chairman of PB PASI, this decision is a strategic step we have long awaited," Pandjaitan stated. He highlighted that athlete development is not a short-term endeavor, with many athletes dedicating years from a young age to reach their peak performance through challenging processes.

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Behind every medal and the hoisting of the Red and White flag at the highest point, there is hard work, consistency, and years of time investment that often escape the public's eye.

PB PASI has already implemented concrete steps to support national athletics, including the development of an Athletics Training Center in Pangalengan and the Papua Athletics Center (PAC) for decentralized training in Papua, aiming to discover potential talent from Eastern Indonesia. However, Pandjaitan stressed that physical facilities alone are insufficient without continuous and guaranteed training programs.

He views the multi-year Pelatnas policy as crucial for sports federations, addressing the challenge of annual budgeting cycles. Consistent program certainty and long-term funding are essential for achieving optimal performance targets. Pandjaitan believes this policy demonstrates the government's commitment to building a stronger foundation for national sports, moving beyond a sole focus on medal counts in specific events. He hopes for the plan's swift realization, enabling collaboration between the government and sports federations to create a sustainable development system.

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As the Chairman of PB PASI, this decision is a strategic step we have long awaited.