By Mark Baber
August 17 – As Indonesia celebrates its Independence Day, the government has intervened to set up two new competitions for lower league clubs, whilst La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti (pictured), the Chairman of the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI) which is currently suspended by FIFA, laments that football in his country has not yet gained its independence.
Notwithstanding the FIFA Executive Committee suspending the PSSI on May 30 for serious violations of Articles 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statutes resulting from prolonged government interference in the affairs of the association, domestic football returned to Indonesia on Saturday as the government introduced Independence Cup kicked off in Madiu.
The first game of the new competition saw Persekap Pasuruan defeat Madiun Putra 2-0 in a 24-team tournament for lower league sides. Another new competition – The President Cup – a 16-team tournament for mainly second division clubs, will kick-off later this month.
Due to the ban, Indonesia has been excluded from the joint 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup qualifying campaign and other FIFA and AFC competitions, whilst top flight clubs have been disbanded.
According to a presidential spokesman, the new competitions were set up as: “After the PSSI was frozen, the President wanted to keep football alive.”
Football is arguably Indonesia’s most popular sport, with 25,000 people recently packing a stadium to watch an exhibition game between two AS Roma sides, but attempts to restart the top league have been halted by the government body put in place to administer the game after they suspended the PSSI.
Against the background of government interference and a FIFA ban, an exasperated La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti exclaimed on the eve of Independence Day that: “The essence of freedom is sovereignty and the ability to act without the shackles of other parties, both domestically and internationally,” asking “Is this the meaning of freedom? When we lose the right of expression and economic rights?”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1738947344labto1738947344ofdlr1738947344owedi1738947344sni@r1738947344ebab.1738947344kram1738947344
