The Double Struggle of Indonesian Swimmers

While tilting his head upward facing the pool wall, I Gede Siman Sudartawa propelled his body with the help of a foot push. This Indonesian swimmer, specializing in the 50-meter backstroke event, perfected his starting technique during the final training session at the Gelora Bung Karno Aquatic Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, Monday (10/3/2025).

This is the fourth month that Siman and 29 other swimmers have been undergoing the national swimming training camp. When his name was first called to join the training camp in November 2024, Siman admitted he was surprised. The training camp is being held with the primary goal of achieving success at the 2025 SEA Games.

Meanwhile, the SEA Games in Thailand will only be held in December 2025. This means there is a long preparation period for the event. Nevertheless, this is also what makes Siman happy. According to Siman, the extended timeframe is quite ideal for thoroughly preparing everything in order to achieve success.

"For preparations made well in advance like this, it is very good. We also feel like a solid, major team. During my time at the national training center, it seems this is the first time preparations have been made more than a year in advance, and the athletes are united in their voices," said Siman, who made his debut at the SEA Games during the Jakarta-Palembang 2011 edition.

However, Siman's happiness began to fade when, at the end of January, news of budget cuts from the government started to surface. The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, during a working meeting with Commission X of the DPR in mid-February, revealed that the budget ceiling for the Ministry of Youth and Sports in the 2025 fiscal year was set at Rp 1.03 trillion. This means there is a budget cut of Rp 1.29 trillion or 55.59 percent from the definitive ceiling of the 2025 fiscal year, which amounted to Rp 2.3 trillion.

The fate of the national swimming training program is also at risk due to the sports sector being affected by budget cut policies. The salaries of swimming athletes have not been paid since January. To make matters worse, they had to use their own personal funds to participate in the 55th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships.

In fact, the event is one of the qualifying championships for the 2025 Aquatic World Championships, which will also be held in Singapore. Indonesia has only qualified one swimmer, Felix Viktor Iberle, who participated in the earlier qualification in Malaysia in February. Siman will depart for the 55th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships along with 24 other Indonesian swimmers.

"We had a discussion together, whether we wanted to go, whether we wanted to go separately, or what we wanted to do. Everyone answered in unison that they wanted to go and stay in the same hotel together," said Siman.

"Why we decided to go, because we want to see the results of the training since November, how far. We have been training for several months, but have not been tested in the competition. We want to see whether we have met the target or not, besides of course also to pursue the World Championships," said the veteran Indonesian swimmer.

So far, Siman is still the Indonesian swimmer who has recorded the best achievement in the senior World Championships. Siman advanced to the semifinals of the 50-meter backstroke at the 2017 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.

In the semifinals, Siman set a national record of 25.04 seconds. However, the swimmer who represented Indonesia at the 2012 London Olympics eventually finished 15th out of 16 athletes.

The desire to be able to record similar results or even better is still in Siman's heart. If he can perform well in Singapore, both in qualifications and during the World Championships, the main target at the SEA Games will certainly be fulfilled. That determination also keeps his motivation even though the situation is uncertain.

A similar thing was conveyed by long-distance specialist swimmer, Azzahra Permatahani. The swimmer who represents Indonesia at the 2024 Paris Olympics wants to see the results of months of training by participating in the championship in Singapore. According to Zahra, so far the training has gone well and has shown progress.

However, the results of the training still need to be tested with the competition. Not only for evaluation material, participation in the 55th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships is also a proof event.

"If the results are good, the management and the government will definitely see that this is worth continuing and should be more supportive. As an athlete, of course, I hope that the national training will not be interrupted. This has started well, long ago, and I think it is ideal like this," said Zahra.

The head coach of the Indonesian national swimming team, Albert C Sutanto, said that the athletes showed progress during the national training. The situation in the team is also conducive and solid so that it can encourage achievement. Therefore, Albert hopes that the national training will not be disbanded.

Currently, the national swimming training can still run because it is funded by Akuatik Indonesia. The federation also helped with the registration fees for the 55th Singapore National Age Group Swimming Championships.

Felix said that the coaching team and federation tried to convince the Ministry of Youth and Sports that even though there was budget efficiency, at least the athletes would still be given the opportunity to test the results of their training since November.

"Athletes have shown their commitment by willing to spend their own money to see their progress, without any certainty of being reimbursed or not. They struggle in training and fight to be able to participate in the championship. Now it's up to the government to provide support," said Albert.

Albert said that his party has given several options to the government regarding the continuation of the national training. Starting from the national training for athletes who have potential for the Olympics to only focusing on the SEA Games. However, what is certain, said Albert, is that the national training must continue as much as possible.

"If we are sent home and the national training is interrupted, it will be quite difficult to reverse the condition. We have to start from the beginning. We have the option of decentralization, but the problem is that sparring partners are not evenly distributed, it will be difficult to spur athletes to train harder," said the former Indonesian swimmer who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Amidst the waves of uncertainty, Indonesian swimmers continue to paddle their dreams with unwavering determination. They are not just swimming against the current in the pool, but also fighting against the limitations that stand in their way outside the pool with a double struggle.