Rita Sri Wahyusih Subowo, the first woman to chair the Indonesian Sports Council (KONI), has vowed to increase the role of women in the country's sports, with nearly 20 percent of her newly appointed team of KONI officials being women.

"We have six women on board the KONI team out of a total of 33, " Rita was quoted Friday by English daily The Jakarta Post as saying.

"We also consider it urgent and crucial to establish a special commission to boost women's role in improving the country's dwindling sporting performance."

She said the commission, which will be chaired by Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) chairwoman Martina Widjaja, would be tasked to reinstate good relations with the International Olympic Council's women and sports commission.

This is expected to result in better access to programs, advocacy as well as funds for improved support for Indonesian sportswomen.

"We all see that our women athletes are winning fewer medals, while in other countries the women are winning half the medals," Rita said.

She cited last year's Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, where overall leader China brought home a total of 166 gold medals, of which 92, or 55 percent, were grabbed by women.

During the recent Asiad, no Indonesian woman managed to win gold. Only two women managed to clinch silver medals: bowler Putty Insavilla Armein and wushu athlete Susyana Tjhan.