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Indonesia officials are confident over the country’s readiness to host this year’s Asian Games, though ensuring athletes and fans can get to venues through traffic-clogged streets of the capital city of Jakarta remains a challenge.

Erick Thohir, President of the Indonesia Asian Games Organising Committee (INASGOC), explains “we are confident of our ability to host the Games with our only major challenge being transportation issues.”

For the first time, the Asian Games are being co-hosted in two cities; in Jakarta (which is hosting the Games for the first time since 1962), and Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province.

With events being held in and around the two cities, the 18th Asian Games are commonly known as Jakarta Palembang 2018.

Indonesia’s preparations received backing from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in January following a two-day inspection of facilities for the multi sport event, being held from 18th August to 2nd September 2018

Even so, challenges surfaced during a recent dress rehearsal event.

Thohir, an Indonesian businessman and Chairman of Italian Serie A side Inter Milan, explained “from the invitation tournament, we have had good feedback about the food, athletes’ villages (but) complaints still come from the traffic.”

Jakarta, consistently ranked as having among the world’s worst traffic congestion, is building a subway in the teeming capital. But it will not be ready until 2019, so organisers have proposed closing schools near venues to curb traffic.

Thohir is aiming for toll roads and bus lanes to be set aside for special use during the Games.

Brought in to lead the committee in 2015 amid concerns over a ballooning budget and whether some venues would be prepared in time, Thohir advises that the budget for the Games is now “secured” at 6.6 trillion rupiah (US$479 million), down roughly a quarter from an earlier proposed figure.

This had been achieved by postponing plans for an Asian Youth Games, renovating existing venues rather than building new ones, and attracting more sponsorship.

The organising team had also been limited in size to around the 400 rather than the usual thousands for such events, while there will be 13,000 volunteers.

Around 10,000 athletes from 45 nations are expected to compete across 40 sports at the Games.

Indonesia has included combat sports such as jujitsu and pencak silat in the program in a nod to the popularity of mixed martial arts, while jet ski and paragliding events have also been added.

For security, Indonesia will deploy the police and military during the Games, including having on hand the bomb squad and sniper teams.

Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta will host the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.

Indonesia last held the Asian Games in 1962. 

Images: Gelora Bung Karno Stadium Jakarta (top), Erick Thohir (middle) and the Games logo (below)

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