Minister of Youth and Sports Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo emphasized that the appreciation given by President Prabowo Subianto to the Indonesian National Football Team was personal and did not reflect special treatment for a particular sport.
The statement was made by the Minister of Youth and Sports in response to a number of criticisms, including from former national wushu athlete, Lindswell Kwok, who said there was a gap in awards and financial assistance between sports branches after the provision of luxury Rolex watches to Indonesian National Team players who beat China 1-0 in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
"This is a form of personal appreciation from the President for the history made by the National Team. We must admit, they have penetrated the highest process in the World Cup qualification. But that does not mean that other sports are ignored," said Dito when met in Jakarta, Thursday.
He added that Prabowo's attention to sports was comprehensive, and not limited to football.
Dito said that while still serving as Minister of Defense, Prabowo also gave personal appreciation to the entire Indonesian contingent at the 2024 Paris Olympics, including athletes and coaches from various sports.
"I witnessed firsthand how he, suddenly, gave awards to the entire Indonesian contingent in Paris. This may not be widely reported, but it is a fact. He truly cares and loves sports," Dito said.
