SpoGomi brings sport and environmental cleanup to ASEAN Sports Day

Dozens of participants in Yogyakarta turned litter collection into a competition during SpoGomi, an event held as part of ASEAN Sports Day 2026.

The Japanese-origin sport combines physical activity with a race to collect and sort waste. Participants gathered litter along the route of the ASEAN Fun Run while learning about the importance of keeping their surroundings clean and separating waste.

Ahmad Arsani, assistant deputy for special sports services at Indonesia’s Ministry of Youth and Sports, said SpoGomi showed how exercise could be combined with environmental protection. “The SpoGomi community wants to teach people how to keep our surroundings clean,” he said.

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The SpoGomi community wants to teach people how to keep our surroundings clean.

SpoGomi formed part of a wider ASEAN Sports Day program that included Car Free Day, Tour de Prambanan, the ASEAN Fun Run and training for people with disabilities to become coaches or leaders in disability sports.

Arsani said the activities supported the ministry’s Gemar program, or the Active and Fit Community Movement, which encourages people to exercise regularly in accessible and relatively affordable public spaces. Kus Endarto of the Sleman Tourism Office said SpoGomi helped promote waste sorting while making environmental care part of a healthy activity.

Students from SMA Negeri 2 Yogyakarta, Rifki, Farel and Akira, won the SpoGomi competition. Rifki said the team joined because of its concern about environmental problems after a teacher invited them to take part.

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SpoGomi is very good. It is one way to raise awareness about how we can sort waste properly. Through SpoGomi, we can exercise, keep our bodies healthy and make the environment clean.