That was the consensus of Asian track and field experts who had looked forward to the performance of Yang Chuan-kwan, runner-up to Rafer Johnson at the Rome Olympic Games in 1960.
A student at the University of California at Los Angeles, Taiwan-born Yang returned here to join the Chinese team for the games.
His Taipei workouts indicated that he was in outstanding shape. Tropical heat did not seem to affect him. Conservative estimates of his score placed him ahead of Johnson's world mark.
But Indonesia prevented Yang and 124 other members of the Chinese team from competing. Informed sources said the Indonesians acted at the behest of the Communist Chinese and the Soviet Union.
Jakarta has diplomatic relations with Peiping, which maintains an embassy of 300 persons in the Indonesian capital.
The $17,000,000 Asian Games stadium was built by the Soviet Union as a gift to Indonesia.
When Indonesia was chosen as the Asian Games site four years ago, it pledged itself to invite all federation members. Section (g) of By-Law 2 of the Asian Games Federation Rules stipulates that "free entry must be accorded to delegations from all member organizations."
Free China received Jakarta's invitation on February 28, almost two months later than other members and only after repeated inquiries.
After that, the Chinese Communists exerted continuous pressure on the Indonesian government to revoke its invitation to free China. Intelligence sources on the mainland said that Peiping set up an ad hoc committee to originate obstructive tactics for the Indonesians.
A Hongkong paper reported on August 3 that Indonesia had yielded to Communist demand. A cable sent to the Indonesian Organizing Committee by the China Olympic Committee was not answered.
Mysterious package of blank cards sent from Jakarta. (File photo)
China organized a team of 125 athletes and 15 officials. Intensive training was undertaken. The soccer team, Asian Games champion in the last two meets, toured Southeast Asian countries to gain experience. Other Chinese hopefuls included the table tennis team, the basketball team, a number of track and field athletes, a couple of weightlifters and a heavyweight boxer.
With the games less than three weeks away, the Chinese team still had received no visas and Jakarta continued to ignore cabled inquiries. On August 4, the Chinese Asian Games Preparatory Committee received a package supposedly containing identity cards necessary for Indonesian entry. But there were only blank papers inside.
The Indonesian Organizing Committee said it dispatched the package on July 21. However, the postmarks were for August 2. Interim whereabouts of the package remain a mystery.
Daily Cables
Cables were sent to the Indonesian authorities almost daily. Two vaguely worded replies on August 9 and 15 requested return of the package for investigation. The parcel was returned, but Jakarta still evaded an answer on games participation.
Dr. Gunsun Hoh, Chinese member of the AGF Executive Committee, applied for an Indonesian visa in Hongkong to attend. a meeting of the AGF Executive Committee scheduled for August 22. It was denied. He flew to Bangkok on August 11, only to be turned down again.
In a last effort to attend the meeting, he went to Jakarta without a visa. He was warned that his life was in danger and compelled to take the return plane.
On August 18, the Indonesian Organizing Committee was asked for definite assurance of China's participation before midnight of August 22. The request was not answered.
The Asian Games Federation Executive Committee urged the Indonesian government and the organizing committee to admit China and Israel, which also was barred by Indonesia. The request was officially rejected by Indonesian Foreign Minister Subandrio.
On August 23, the China Olympic Committee charged Indonesia with bad faith and political motivation.
"As one of the founders of the Asian Games, the Republic of China has the right of participation as well as the duty to defend the integrity of this regional sports organization," the statement declared.
Sanctions Asked
It said that China had exercised the utmost forbearance in the hope that Indonesian authorities might be brought to reason. "But we are forced to expose to the whole world the truth that Indonesia is barring China from the games for purely political reasons," it said.
The statement then went on to call for the following measures:
1. Condemnation of Indonesia by Asian Games Federation members.
2. Cancellation of Indonesia's status as a host country. The statement said China would not recognize the Fourth Asian Games.
3. Expulsion of Indonesia from the Asian Games Federation and other international athletic bodies.
4. Expulsion of Indonesia from the International Olympic Committee.
5. Discussion of the facts and of sanctions to be taken against Indonesia at the next meeting of the Asian Games Federation Executive Committee.
Yang Chuan-kwan lost chance at decathlon record. (File photo)
Response was quick and strong. The International Amateur Athletic Federation cabled Jakarta, withdrawing permission for the games. Without such sanction, competing teams may be barred from subsequent international meets. However, final decision will be made at an IAAF meeting at Belgrade in September.
South Korea's track and field team pulled out. Japanese and Philippine teams were under heavy pressure from home to withdraw but did not.
The International Weightlifting Federation withdrew its sanction. Weightlifting events were called off as 11 of the 12 participating nations pulled out.
Deletion of Name
The Asian Games Executive Committee, meeting without its chairman on August 27, resolved to remove the designation of "Fourth Asian Games" from the Jakarta competition.
G. D. Sondhi, Indian member of the AGF Executive Committee, said the meeting was called "because of the delay and uncertainty" about holding a meeting of the full Executive Committee to discuss the China and Israel issues. The removal of the name, he said, was prompted by the notices of the IAAF and the IWF that they were withdrawing their sanction from the games.
The AGF decision was challenged by the Indonesians. A statement issued by Indonesian members of the AGF Executive Committee on August 28 termed the decision "illegal".
It said "a meeting of the AGF Executive Committee is legal only if it is convened by its chairman."
The AGF Executive Committee then decided on August 29 to settle the dispute over the name of the games at a meeting scheduled for September 4. A decision was reached at that meeting to leave the name as it was, and to set up a committee to investigate the exclusion of China and Israel.
Athletic circles and sports writers throughout the free world denounced Indonesia.
"Indonesia's injection of politics into the Asian Games is vehemently to be condemned," said the Hongkong Tiger Standard on August 20. "Jakarta is, no doubt, keeping Taiwan out of the Games because it feels indebted to Moscow...
Indonesia has not only grievously failed in her duty as host, but has also made a mockery of the whole spirit of the Games."
The paper suggested firm action on the part of the Asian Games Federation. "If Indonesia refuses to fulfill its obligations as host in a satisfactory manner, the Federation should cancel the games forthwith ... Better no Games than Games that are, not sporting, but political contests," it said.
Athletes leaving training camp after Asian Games hopes were shattered. (File photo)
The Philippine Herald said on August 4 that "the Chinese Communists, in their typical insidious and invidious style, have essayed to make it look like it is the United States that is attempting to interject a political color into the Asian Games; that the U.S. is seeking to make it embarrassing for both the Indonesians and the Chinese Communists by creating a situation of two Chinas on Indonesian soil.
"Yet, it should appear to all unprejudiced observers that, by dragging all these questions into a purely athletic competition, it is the Communists, acting in character, who are making a political football of a non-political affair."
Chung Yang Jih Pao (Central Daily News) of Taipei said on August 23: "It is Indonesia and not China that will suffer if Indonesia prevents the participation of Chinese athletes in the Asian Games. Inasmuch as the games already have degenerated into a political instrument manipulated by Indonesia under instructions of Moscow and Peiping, we are not at all regretful at being unable to compete. But we are deeply concerned about the future of the Asian Games and the survival of the Olympic spirit."
Threat to India
There were other political manifestations. An official of the Japanese team disclosed that Japan's decision to remain in the contest was made after Indonesia threatened to cut off trade between the two countries and to take reprisals against Japanese in Indonesia.
On August 30 Indonesian Trade Minister Suharto threatened to cut off trade relations with India, because G. D. Sondhi, Indian vice president of the AGF, had led a fight to lift the designation of "Fourth Asian Games" from the competition. As anti-India sentiment was drummed up, a violent mob stormed the Indian Embassy in Jakarta on September 3.
Indonesia proposed a boycott of future Asian Games by some countries and suggested a new competition be organized by members of "the new emerging forces." He presumably envisaged Communist participation.
Although considering themselves grievously wronged by Indonesia, the Chinese government and people gave evidence that they bear no grudge against Indonesian nationals.
On July 27, the Chinese fishing boat Fengchuncheng picked up six shipwrecked Indonesian fishermen southeast of the Philippines. They were brought to Kaohsiung August 26.
Officials put them up in a modern hotel and provided them with new clothes and good food.
Government officials said the six would be repatriated.
"We shall not hold them here as hostages to press for Indonesia's release of Chinese nationals wrongfully arrested," they said. Nine overseas Chinese leaders, including the China Olympic Committee's liaison officer in Jakarta, had been taken into "precautionary custody" by Indonesian authorities at the height of the Asian Games controversy.
Chinese athletes, who continued training until the last minute, packed up and returned to their schools or jobs. "We athletes know nothing about politics," said one. "The Indonesians think they have licked us, but we'll show them who is the better at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo."