Denpasar, July 25, 2025 — The Kaori Welas Asih Foundation (YKWA), led by Ni Kadek Winie Kaori Intan Mahkota, has extended financial support to Bali’s yoga athletes competing in the 2025 National Sports Festival (Fornas) in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
In a handover ceremony held at Niti Mandala Renon Field, Denpasar, on Friday (July 25), Winie Kaori presented a donation of IDR 15 million to Wayan Sudiarta, Chairman of the Indonesian National Yoga Practitioners Association (PPYNI) Bali Province.
“We learned that yoga as a sport has very limited funding. Many of the athletes have been training for four months, using their own money while sacrificing time and energy to represent Bali. This support is meant to ease their burden,” said Winie Kaori.
She added that the athletes’ strong enthusiasm and dedication to representing Bali deserved full backing. “If government support becomes available in the future, we hope funding for yoga athletes can be increased,” she noted.
Winie emphasized that consistent training is key to nurturing new yoga talents who prioritize sportsmanship, nationalism, and excellence. She also called for a better allocation of sports budgets. “It is not appropriate if funds for sports are minimal while events receive excessive budgets. Budget allocation should be evaluated and prioritized fairly,” she stressed.
Although YKWA operates independently as a private foundation separate from Kaori Holding Company’s CSR, Winie highlighted the organization’s strong sense of social responsibility. “We want to motivate young athletes to stay spirited despite financial limitations. Hopefully, more outstanding athletes will emerge, bringing positive impacts for their future and communities,” she said.
Meanwhile, PPYNI Bali Chairman Wayan Sudiarta, accompanied by officials Made Sudarmadi and Kadek Sukasada, confirmed that Bali’s yoga athletes have been training intensively ahead of the 8th Fornas in Lombok, NTB, scheduled for July 28–30, 2025. The overall festival runs from July 25 to August 1, 2025.
Sudiarta expressed optimism about their prospects. “We are aiming for two to three gold medals, particularly in Performance Asana, Fun Yoga, Surya Namaskar, and Master Class categories,” he explained.
Bali will send a 25-member delegation, consisting of 22 athletes, two officials, and one coach. With 12 gold medals at stake across various age groups—under and over 40 years old—competition is expected to be fierce among the 15 participating contingents.
Currently, PPYNI Bali has established branches across eight districts and cities in the province, while at the national level, the organization is led by Chairman Master Selamet Rianto.