Erick Thohir Reaffirms Government Support for Asian Games Athletes

RRI.CO.ID, Nagoya - Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister, Erick Thohir has reaffirmed President Prabowo Subianto’s commitment to advancing national sports at the 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya. The government has set a target of winning at least four gold medals at the continent’s largest multi-sport event.

He also said the government continues to strengthen its support for Indonesian athletes, from national training programs to increased rewards for athletes who achieve outstanding results. One of the measures is the Asian Games 2026 bonus, which has been increased to Rp3 billion for gold medalists.

“President Prabowo is very committed to making sports a matter of great importance for our nation. Athletes are not only ambassadors of the country, but also reflect our strength on the international stage,” Erick said at the inauguration of Rumah Indonesia for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya on Saturday, September 19, 2026.

According to Him, the national training program is being strengthened according to the scale of the competitions faced by athletes, from the SEA Games and Asian Games to the Olympics. The approach is intended to ensure that athletes receive continuous preparation tailored to the demands of each event.

Erick emphasized that the government’s support for athletes reflects the state’s presence in supporting those who represent Indonesia on the international stage. The government hopes that greater sporting achievements will be accompanied by the Indonesian flag being raised at more international competitions.

“Our target is four gold medals, but if we look at history, we have won eight gold medals, and 11 gold medals when we hosted the Asian Games in 1962. Hopefully, through the hard work of the entire team, we can win more than four gold medals,” he said..

The 2026 Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya is one of the major competitions targeted by Indonesia’s national sports development program. The government hopes that continued preparation and the athletes’ hard work will lead to achievements beyond the minimum target of four gold medals.