The 20th National Sports Week (PON) is planned to be held in Papua. Although it will be delayed from the original schedule, the area for athletes to compete has been completed. So that they will be able to compete in football, volleyball and other sports safely.
Papua is ready to welcome national athletes who will compete in the 20th PON. Civilians are very proud because they are appointed to be the hosts and can show the beauty of their territory to the public. Papua is so modern that it is believed to be the organizer of PON caliber events.
The implementation of PON XX in Bumi Cendrawasih was indeed postponed to 2021, because now it is still a pandemic. However, that does not mean that the preparations will also be delayed. Since the beginning of 2020, several venues have been ready to accommodate athletes. Meanwhile, in October, there are 9 PON areas that were inaugurated by the Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe.
The nine areas include: Istora Papua, Lukas Enembe Stadium, aquatic arena, outdoor shooting spots, softball and baseball fields in Uncen and Auri Sentani, GOR STT GIDI, futsal arena and tennis court. All are built to be a sports match venue. When it is 100% finished, the athletes will not worry, because the building is good and fit for use.
The inauguration of the 9 sports areas was done virtually, again because it was still a pandemic period. Online events are held because if they are held in a stadium, they are afraid that they will not be able to comply with physical distancing health protocols. Even though the inauguration was virtual, people were satisfied because they could watch it from home. Precisely because the program is online, the audience is even larger.
All venues in Papua that are ready show the readiness of the local government to host PON. They have been exhausted about designing and building Istora and other areas, so that it can be used for various sports. Moreover, the finished areas are not only on land, but also in water such as aquatic venues.
This shows that the Papuan regional government is very proud to be the organizer of PON XX. So that they prepare the area and all its supporters perfectly. Precisely because the venue is new, it is ready to use. The building is neat and there are no defects at all.
Athletes need not be afraid to come to Papua, because in addition to the venue being finished, health and safety are also 100% supported. They don’t need to worry about rumors about the Cendrawasih Earth which is said to be inhabited by malaria mosquitoes, because all pests in the competition area have been eradicated. The athlete’s health factor is number 1.
In addition, athletes do not need to be afraid of separatist elements. Even though in Papua, KKB and OPM are sometimes harassed, the joint military and police officers are already on guard, so that later PON can take place safely. Without any interference from defectors. Safety is guaranteed and improved, so that athletes can compete in the area comfortably.
Logistics factors are also very much considered by the Papuan regional government. Starting from lodging to means of transportation, guaranteed safe and fun. Because currently it is supported by infrastructure such as Trans Papua Road and Tyhes Hiyo Eluay Airport (formerly: Sentani International Airport). The athletes’ guesthouse is also well prepared.
Preparation for PON XX is 100% and the nine areas are perfect. Although this event has been postponed for next year, that does not mean that the committee is careless. They are still preparing and cleaning the venue, so that later when the athletes and coaches arrive, they are ready and competing optimally. So that the implementation of PON became a great success.