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Even Indonesia’s gold-medal winning national athletes may not be safe from official corruption, with the Attorney General’s Office understood to be investigating allegations that bonus payments for medal winners at the Southeast Asian Games in Laos in 2009 were embezzled.

The Attorney General’s Office is not commenting on the case because the investigation is at the preliminary investigation phase.

However, it is understood that a number of witnesses have been summoned in relation to allegations of embezzlement involving as much as Rp 20 billion ($2.2 million) that was to be distributed to medal winners from the Laos games.

Among those questioned as witnesses on Thursday were Indonesian Tennis Association (Pelti) representatives Diko Murdono and Zandra Darmawan.

They said Pelti treasurer Diono Nurjadin, to whom the summons was actually addressed, was “out of town.”

Diko confirmed that Pelti was paid a total of Rp 755 million after winning one gold, two silver and three bronze medals.

Gold medalists received Rp 200 million, silver medalists Rp 50 million and bronze medalists Rp 25 million.

Diko said it would be impossible for Pelti to steal the money.

“The athletes knew how much they were entitled too,” he said, “maybe the corruption took place at the Sports Ministry.”