JAYAPURA - The Papua Provincial Government officially donated 11 venues for the former National Sports Week (PON) to the Mimika Regency Government, Jayapura City Government, Papua Regional Police, Lanud AURI, Cendrawasih University and GIDI Theology College, in Jayapura, Tuesday (27/9/2022).

The handover of the venue grant by Papua Regional Secretary Muhammad Ridwan Rumasukun was witnessed by Acting Head of the Sports and Youth Department of Papua Alexander Kapisa, as well as the Head of the local regional apparatus organizations.

The Regional Secretary, Ridwan in his speech said that the handover of the venue is very important to support the achievement of Papuan sports.

"It is important to have the involvement of all relevant parties to reach achievements among the community and athletes in Papua," he said.

Meanwhile, 11 venues were handed over, namely indoor volley and sand volleyball to the Regional Police, Softball and Baseball, Rugby Field and Outdoor Shooting to Silas Papare Air Force Base and SP2 Futsal Sport Center to the Mimika Regency Government.

Then the Mayor's Tennis court to the Jayapura City Government, Softball and Baseball Field and Trikora Uncen to Cendrawasih University and STT GIDI Sport Center to the College of Theology Gospel Church in Indonesia (GIDI).

The Papua Regional Secretary continued, the venues submitted were historical "witnesses" to the achievements of the Papuan contingent who entered the top 10 in the PON and the overall champion of Peparnas.

"So that with the encouraging results at PON XX and PEPARNAS XVI and the availability of a road map (blue print) for Papua sports events and academic studies on the feasibility of Papua as a Sports Province, we are currently encouraging the statement of President Joko Widodo that Papua is a Sports Province can be stated in a special regulation from the Government". 

"This regulation is important so that in the process of developing Papuan sports we can develop a sustainable plan so that all resources owned, both by the government, provincial governments and regency/city governments can refer to a long-term plan whose goal is to produce outstanding athletes from Papua through the former PON venue that has been handed over," he hoped.

Meanwhile, the Acting Head of the Papuan Sports and Youth Service, Alexander Kapisa, in his report said that the venue that was donated today was the venue built with regional budget funds during the preparation for the implementation of PON XX and PEPARNAS XVI in 2021.

Head of the Sports and Youth Department of Papua hopes that the venues provided can still be accessed by athlete in Papua, so that the sports achievements can still be maintained and improved as the results achieved in the last PON XX and PEPARNAS XVI. ***