A red card for the PSSI?
Fans, players and the entire nation may have to pay a high price after the Indonesian Soccer Association’s (PSSI) national chaotic congress on Friday.
Chairman Agum Gumelar adjourned the congress due to an unsettled deadlock, meaning that the PSSI failed to elect new officials as mandated by the world soccer body FIFA.
Agum made his move after the so-called Group of 78 called for a vote of no confidence against him as chairman of the FIFA-sanctioned normalization committee.
The Group of 78 claims to support two candidates who were disqualified by FIFA from running in the PSSI’s leadership race: Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Toisutta and oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro.
The group demanded an explanation of the ban, which also covered former chairman Nurdin Halid and former deputy chairman Nirwan Bakrie.
FIFA previously instructed the PSSI to select a new chief before May 21 after former chairman Nurdin was urged to step down.
The deadlock has tarnished the already tainted image of Indonesia. The national team is likely to face a ban from FIFA from competing in international events.
If FIFA imposes a ban, Indonesian soccer fans will not be able to see their team play at the Southeast Asian Games in November in Jakarta and in the South Sumatran capital of Palembang.
No action is expected from FIFA before May 30, when it will receive a report from its representative, Thierry Regenass, who witnessed the PSSI chaos.
The deadlock has caused an uproar in a public that expects to see better management of the PSSI and to improve the country’s performance on the international stage at the end of the day.
The PSSI has long been tarred by allegations of match fixing and corruption as well as neglecting the development of youth players and domestic competitions. However, officials have always turned a deaf ear to critics on improving the association’s management and solving its development programs.
The chaos – which also occurred during the PSSI’s abortive congress in March in Riau – only highlighted the selfishness of certain people and groups. Their actions contradict their desire to improve soccer in Indonesia.
We remind those running for the PSSI’s top posts of the mission of the late Soeratin when he decided to establish the PSSI in 1930.
Inspired by the Youth Pledge Movement two years earlier, Soeratin merely wanted to unite young Indonesians through soccer.
It is saddening that those fighting to lead the PSSI have completely forgotten Soeratin’s noble vision.
If there is a third chance to hold a PSSI congress, we hope all candidates will remember that they should serve players, coaches, clubs and, most importantly, the public who have supported the national team with their time, energy and money.
Further, we hope that FIFA will spare Indonesia from tough sanctions so that our national team will be able to compete in international events.
Chairman Agum Gumelar adjourned the congress due to an unsettled deadlock, meaning that the PSSI failed to elect new officials as mandated by the world soccer body FIFA.
Agum made his move after the so-called Group of 78 called for a vote of no confidence against him as chairman of the FIFA-sanctioned normalization committee.
The Group of 78 claims to support two candidates who were disqualified by FIFA from running in the PSSI’s leadership race: Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Toisutta and oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro.
The group demanded an explanation of the ban, which also covered former chairman Nurdin Halid and former deputy chairman Nirwan Bakrie.
FIFA previously instructed the PSSI to select a new chief before May 21 after former chairman Nurdin was urged to step down.
The deadlock has tarnished the already tainted image of Indonesia. The national team is likely to face a ban from FIFA from competing in international events.
If FIFA imposes a ban, Indonesian soccer fans will not be able to see their team play at the Southeast Asian Games in November in Jakarta and in the South Sumatran capital of Palembang.
No action is expected from FIFA before May 30, when it will receive a report from its representative, Thierry Regenass, who witnessed the PSSI chaos.
The deadlock has caused an uproar in a public that expects to see better management of the PSSI and to improve the country’s performance on the international stage at the end of the day.
The PSSI has long been tarred by allegations of match fixing and corruption as well as neglecting the development of youth players and domestic competitions. However, officials have always turned a deaf ear to critics on improving the association’s management and solving its development programs.
The chaos – which also occurred during the PSSI’s abortive congress in March in Riau – only highlighted the selfishness of certain people and groups. Their actions contradict their desire to improve soccer in Indonesia.
We remind those running for the PSSI’s top posts of the mission of the late Soeratin when he decided to establish the PSSI in 1930.
Inspired by the Youth Pledge Movement two years earlier, Soeratin merely wanted to unite young Indonesians through soccer.
It is saddening that those fighting to lead the PSSI have completely forgotten Soeratin’s noble vision.
If there is a third chance to hold a PSSI congress, we hope all candidates will remember that they should serve players, coaches, clubs and, most importantly, the public who have supported the national team with their time, energy and money.
Further, we hope that FIFA will spare Indonesia from tough sanctions so that our national team will be able to compete in international events.
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