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View all search resultsFor past and future: Olympians endorse long-stalled pension fund
Badminton legend and Indonesia’s first Olympic gold medalist Susy Susanti said, beyond recognizing past achievements, a pension fund could encourage more young Indonesians to pursue a sports career since it offers accomplished athletes security and stability after retirement.
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Legendary match: Susy Susanti hit a shot during her match against rival China’s Ye Zhaoying in the women’s Uber Cup championship final at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Hong Kong on May 23, 1998. (AFP/Frederic Brown)
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ndonesian Olympians and sports observers have voiced strong support for Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir’s long-delayed athlete pension fund proposal, saying it would honor retired athletes’ contributions while making a sports career more secure and appealing for aspiring athletes.
Erick, who also chairs the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), brought forward the proposal in his first meeting with House of Representatives Commission X overseeing youth and sports affairs last week, saying the pension fund would signal the nation’s recognition of its athletes’ achievements.
“It’s time that we truly honor the heroes of this nation, [and a pension fund] is a clear indicator of it” the minister said, adding that Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa had also endorsed the initiative.
While the proposal has received broad backing, Erick acknowledged that details still need to be finalized, including eligibility criteria and pension amounts. One suggestion is to grant pensions to athletes and coaches who have won gold medals at the Olympics, Asian Games or Southeast Asian Games.
“[We need] to make these breakthroughs for the people, the youth and of course, the athletes, who have so far merely been treated as objects without any short- or long-term solutions,” he added.
The plan has been warmly received by lawmakers, many of whom emphasized that it is essential to safeguard the welfare of retired athletes and to make sports a viable career path.
