Jakabaring Sports Complex Eyed as National Training Venue

PALEMBANG, KOMPAS – The Jakabaring Sports Complex in Palembang is being considered as a national training center for various sports. With complete facilities, athletes are believed to be able to train comfortably and focus at Jakabaring.

The plan was conveyed by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, while reviewing the current condition of the Jakabaring Sports Complex or JSC, on Wednesday (12/5/2025). Dito stated that the opportunity for JSC to become a national training center location is very significant. This is because JSC has quite complete sports facilities for both training and competition.

Most of the arenas at JSC are already of international standard as they have been used for various large-scale events, particularly the 2018 Jakarta-Palembang Asian Games. In addition, JSC is equipped with an athlete's dormitory that can accommodate thousands of people. The arenas and the athlete's dormitory are located within one complex.

With an enclosed environment, JSC is increasingly suitable for maintaining athletes' concentration. "If the national training camp is held here, athletes can focus on training because the training venue and their accommodation (athletes' dormitory) are not far apart. JSC is also located in an enclosed area, minimizing interaction with external factors that could disrupt the athletes' concentration," said Dito.

Based on Kompas data, JSC has 22 arenas out of its 325 hectares of land. The arenas include a soccer stadium, athletic stadium, aquatic stadium, bowling hall, two sports halls, tennis court complex, rock climbing arena, roller skating arena, skateboard arena, jet ski lake, and rowing lake.

After accompanying a tour around JSC for approximately 45 minutes, the Marketing and Operations Director of PT JSC, Geri Radityo, stated that the Minister of Youth and Sports is committed to inviting PB Pelti (lawn tennis) to organize regular championships and hold national training camps at JSC. This is because JSC has 16 international standard tennis courts. "We are very ready if entrusted to be the location for national tennis training camps," he said.

According to Geri, if there is national training at JSC, it will increase revenue for the maintenance of the arena. This is because not only the arena is used, but also the athlete's dormitory. "If there are many activities here, such as national training, automatically not only the arena is used. Usually, the athlete's dormitory is also occupied," he said.

Geri said that his party has experience facilitating training activities at JSC. At least, a number of sports branches conduct regional training camps (pelatda) there, such as rock climbing, roller skating, and athletics. "Squash athletes are also actively training here, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday per week," he said.

Sports observer Fritz E Simanjuntak hopes that the opportunity for JSC to become a national training center location does not remain merely a discourse. This must be demonstrated with concrete actions from the Ministry of Youth and Sports by preparing plans together with branch administrators, especially ensuring the budget, training schedule, and targets to be achieved from the national training center.

"I personally strongly agree with the plan. For a long time, I have indeed proposed that sports facilities in the area be used for national training centers or decentralized national training centers," he said.

It could be a solution for equitable development in the regions, as well as part of efforts to maintain the facilities inherited from multi-sport events so that they are not neglected, such as at JSC which is a legacy of the 2018 Asian Games and in Papua which is a legacy of the 2021 PON.

For a long time, I have proposed that regional sports facilities be used as locations for national training camps or decentralized national training camps.

Specifically at JSC, Fritz said, the existing arena or facilities are not only adequate for the tennis national training camp, but also for many other branches. Moreover, the sports ecosystem at JSC is complete. In addition to the arena for training and competing, JSC is equipped with an athlete's dormitory, a kitchen providing athlete food, and a hotel that is not far if you have to stay outside the dormitory. "That will greatly facilitate the running of the national training camp in Jakabaring," he said.

If there are branch administrators who think that the national training center at JSC will make it difficult for athletes to find sparring opponents, Fritz said that this can be overcome by holding a championship there. Moreover, the sports arena at JSC is already of international standard, making it possible to hold national and international events.

"Actually, there is no reason for branch administrators to reject the national training at JSC if the government or the Ministry of Youth and Sports requests it. If there are indeed those who reject it, it is usually because the atmosphere in the region is not as lively as the atmosphere in Jakarta," Fritz emphasized.