D.C. United majority owner Erick Thohir was honored yesterday for his work in the sports industry by the Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports. In a ceremony commemorating Indonesian National Sports Day 2012, Thohir was cited for his extensive work in developing sports in his native country.
“I would like to thank the Minister and the government,” Thohir said upon receiving his honor. “This award makes me even more excited to continue my efforts to develop sports in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.”
Among his most recent sporting endeavors, Thohir served as Chef de Mission for the Indonesian delegation to the 2012 Olympic Games and founded ASEAN Sport Ventures, an international sports promotion and event management group focusing on a variety of sports and platforms in Southeast Asia. In addition to being a key figure in the formation of the ASEAN Basketball League, the region’s first professional basketball league, Thohir also holds the distinction of becoming the first Indonesian and the youngest person to hold the position of President for the Southeast Asian Basketball Association (SEABA), when he was first elected in 2006 for a four-year term. He is expected to continue leading SEABA until, at least, 2014.
“This award is not the result of just my work alone, it is the result of the support and dedication from many different parties,” said Thohir of his achievement.
