The Central National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) has taken concrete steps to minimize the risk of violence, bullying, and sexual harassment in competitive sports. Through strategic discussions with various national sports federations, the highest sports authority in the country has begun drafting comprehensive national guidelines to protect athletes from all forms of actions that violate norms and sportsmanship.
Vice General Chairman VI of Central KONI, Josef Adrianus Nae Soi, emphasized that the sports environment must be a safe space for character building and achievement. According to him, any form of deviant behavior cannot be tolerated in the sports ecosystem as it contradicts the spirit of healthy nurturing. Therefore, an alignment of perception across all organizational levels is needed to ensure safety for every individual involved in the sports world.
In drafting the guidelines, KONI is adopting a systematic approach through the Plan, Do, Check, and Action (PDCA) framework. This framework not only involves central management, but also requires synergy among families, educational institutions, coaches, and sports federation environments. Comprehensive planning is considered crucial so that athlete protection standards can be implemented consistently across all regions of Indonesia.
In addition to formulating rules, the discussion forum emphasized the urgency of accessible reporting mechanisms and professional case management procedures. Participants agreed that national regulations must be accompanied by strict sanctions to serve as a deterrent, while providing a legal umbrella for victims. Harmonization of rules among sports federations is expected to create a uniform safety standard for all sports participants.
As a strengthening step, Central KONI plans to expand the scope of education regarding the concept of athlete safeguarding to all stakeholders. Additionally, specialized training for coaches regarding communication ethics and athlete protection will be actively promoted. Through these measurable steps, it is hoped that the national sports ecosystem will be able to transform into a dignified, safe environment fully oriented toward the development of athlete achievement.
