Jayapura, Jubi – The 2026 Provincial Sports Congress (Musorprov) of the Papua chapter of the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) has been positioned as a key platform for charting the future of sports development in Papua and rebuilding the province’s competitive strength ahead of the 2028 National Sports Week (PON).

Speaking at the opening of the congress in Jayapura on Friday, Papua Governor Matius D. Fakhiri said the gathering should serve not only as an organizational forum to review programs and elect new leadership, but also as a strategic opportunity to formulate a long-term vision for sports in the province.

“Sports must become an instrument for human resource development and a driver of Papua’s broader transformation,” Fakhiri said.

He stressed that improving athletic performance should remain a top priority as Papua prepares for a series of major sporting events, including the 2026 National Martial Arts Games in Manado, the 2027 PON qualifiers, and the 2028 National Sports Week, which will be jointly hosted by West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.

According to Fakhiri, athlete development programs must be implemented in a systematic and sustainable manner if Papua hopes to reclaim its position among Indonesia’s leading sporting regions.

“We are currently preparing for several important competitions. The Papua Provincial Government remains committed to providing support within its capacity to ensure that athlete development programs can be carried out effectively,” he said.

The governor also urged Musorprov participants to focus on three key priorities: conducting an objective evaluation of existing programs, designing innovative and sustainable athlete development strategies, and electing a KONI Papua chairperson for the 2026–2030 term who possesses both integrity and strong leadership credentials.

He emphasized that whoever is elected should be capable of uniting all sports associations and stakeholders around a common goal—restoring Papua’s sporting excellence.

“Whoever is entrusted to lead KONI Papua must be able to bring together all sporting disciplines and stakeholders in pursuit of one shared objective: reviving Papua’s sporting achievements,” Fakhiri said.

Expressing optimism about the future of sports in the province, Fakhiri said that collaboration, hard work, and sportsmanship would continue to drive progress and contribute to the realization of the provincial government’s “Bright Papua” vision of a smarter, more prosperous, and harmonious society.

On behalf of the provincial government, he also conveyed appreciation to KONI Papua and the wider sporting community for their continued efforts in advancing athletic achievement across Papua. (*)