National Sports Day in Indonesia Date in the current year: September 9, 2024

In traditional Indonesian culture, physical activities were usually linked to tribal practices such as war dances, ritual combat, and coming of age rites. The modern concept of sport was introduced to Indonesia during the Dutch colonization.

Following the proclamation of Indonesian independence, the revolutionary government established the National Sports Committee (Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia, KONI) to unite various regional sports associations. The Committee is responsible for the development of sports and organization of nationwide sports events.

The Indonesian Olympic Committee (Komite Olimpiade Indonesia, KOI) split from the KONI in 2005. While KONI focuses on national events, KOI is responsible for Indonesia’s participation in the Summer Olympic Games and other international events, as well as submitting bids for hosting such events.

Since 1962, Indonesia has hosted the Asian Games, the Southeast Asian Games, the FESPIC Games, the ASEAN University Games, the ASEAN School Games, the ASEAN Para Games, the Asian Beach Games, and the Islamic Solidarity Games.

The most popular and successful sport in Indonesia is badminton. Indonesian athletes have won gold medals in badminton in every Olympic games since 1992, except in 2012. In additions, Indonesians have won the Thomas Cup (World Men’s Team Championships) most times, although it is China that has been the most successful in the competition in recent years.

Other popular sports in Indonesia include association football, basketball, pencak silat (Indonesian martial arts), cycling, boxing, sepak takraw (kick volleyball), and e-sports. The country has three football leagues (three men’s and one women’s), a basketball league, two futsal leagues (a men’s and a women’s), and two volleyball leagues (a men’s and a women’s).

Indonesia has participated in the Summer Olympics since 1952. In addition to gold, silver and bronze medals in badminton, Indonesian athletes have won Olympic medals in archery (silver), taekwondo (silver and bronze), weightlifting (silver and bronze), and wushu (bronze). In addition to the Olympics, Indonesian athletes regularly participate in the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games.

Every four years, Indonesia hosts the National Sports Week (Pekan Olahraga Nasional), a multi-sport event featuring athletes from all provinces. It was originally established as an alternative to Indonesia’s participation in the 1948 Olympic Games (Indonesia was unable to participate because it is independence had not been recognized yet, and it was not a member of the International Olympic Committee).

The inaugural National Sports Week was held from September 9 to September 12, 1948 in Surakarta. Since 1983, the anniversary of its opening has been celebrated annually as National Sports Day. The holiday is marked by competitions, demonstrations, and other events designed to promote sport and fitness.