June 1 – The Indonesian government has reacted disdainfully to FIFA’s decision to throw the country out of world football saying the move should not be “mourned excessively”.
The ban, announced after Saturday’s FIFA executive committee meeting, means Indonesia cannot compete in June matches that are qualifiers for both the 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup.
The sports ministry, whose move to oust the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) sparked the crisis, defended its actions.
The FIFA ban, it said, was “really not what we wanted” but added: “FIFA’s sanction need not be mourned excessively.”
“The government intends to take responsibility for the sanctions and push ahead with reforms in football management that it hopes will allow the country to soon take part in international competitions again.”
“We must respect the FIFA Statutes, but this bitter experience has been a lesson for us all (and) … the government is not ignoring that several strategic steps must be taken as a consequence of the sanctions.
“The government will work together with various related organisations to perfect a blueprint for national soccer reform as quickly as possible to develop a grand strategy that is more comprehensive, transparent, objective and with an overall target of significant achievements in restructuring the management system of national football (in) Indonesia.”
The latest row erupted in April when the PSSI halted the country’s top-flight league due to a disagreement with the sports ministry over the participation of two clubs. The PSSI and the state-sanctioned Indonesian Professional Sports Agency (BOPI) have been at loggerheads over whether Persebaya Surabaya and Arema Indonesia could play in the Indonesian Super League (ISL).
BOPI wanted the teams blocked but the PSSI resisted, forcing the government to cancel the season and suspend the national association, which resulted in FIFA’s intervention.
FIFA, which outlaws governments interfering in domestic football, backed the PSSI, which insisted it remained in charge of football in Indonesia. The country was given until May 29 to abide by FIFA rules or face a suspension.
FIFA says the ban is the result of the “effective ‘take over’ of the activities of the PSSI by the Indonesian authorities”.
However the national team will still be able to participate in the football tournament at the Southeast Asian Games, which is just getting under way in Singapore.
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