Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir stated that athlete development for the Olympics should begin at least six years before the event.
"If we know there's an Olympics, let alone the 2028 Olympics, the 2032 Olympics, the athletes will be trained now, six years in advance. Not just one year, just one year before the Olympics, and then rushing," Erick Thohir told the media.
He conveyed this in response to questions regarding athletes' preparations to achieve success in various international multi-sport events in the future.
The Minister of Youth and Sports explained that President Prabowo Subianto also wants the development of athletes to be able to excel on the world stage not to be carried out for a period of one or two years but rather on an ongoing basis for years.
Therefore, the President has assured government budget support for the long-term training camp. This aligns with the hopes of all sports, as they will optimally prepare athletes to bring honor to Indonesia on the global stage.
The Minister of Youth and Sports stated that long-term development is key to producing high-achieving athletes. He cited the example of the Filipino gymnasts who won two gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics, who were trained since junior high school to achieve success on the Olympic stage.
"So, the National Training Center cannot be a single-year or annual event. It must be multi-year , spanning many years," he said.
He stated that the long-term national training program is not only for the Olympics but also for events like the Asian Games. Therefore, his team is continuing to communicate with the Ministry of Finance, as directed by the President, to secure sufficient budget support.
The Minister of Youth and Sports added that in his meeting with the President, he also ensured that the entire budget from the ministry he leads would be used efficiently and on target.
