By David Gold
March 12 – The embattled Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) is reportedly to receive help from a group of businessmen after losing its Government funding.
The PSSI is struggling to keep hold of the game in the country after a breakaway football league was set up last year.
The Jakarta Globe has reported that following a 10-0 defeat in a World Cup qualifier to Bahrain recently, the Government decided to cut off funding.
That defeat was in part because Indonesia cannot select players participating in the breakaway league under FIFA regulations, and those players form the nucleus of the national team.
FIFA has already ordered the PSSI to reign in the rebel league, but the loss of Government funding could not have come at a worse time – less than a fortnight before a deadline world football’s governing body had set for them to take control of football in the country.
Reuters report that the PSSI have told them that Arifin Panigoro (pictured), an oil and gas tycoon, is leading a group who are willing to make up the funding shortfall.
“The shortfall will be covered by Arifin and other businessmen who love Indonesian football, there are several friends but he is the head of that,” PSSI vice-president Farid Rahman told the news agency.
“This shows his commitment.
“For the future of Indonesia football Arifin will do a lot, he is sacrificing a lot in order to make Indonesian football better.”
If the PSSI is unsuccessful in ending Indonesian football’s problems and putting an end to the rebel league, the country could face FIFA sanctions, which may include a ban from international competitions.
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