Absence from international soccer tourneys OK

JAKARTA. President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has said that he will support Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi’s move to reform national soccer, even if it means Indonesia being excluded from international soccer competitions.

“To reform national soccer, we have to develop a fair national soccer competition, which requires a trusted and clean soccer association (...) It is okay to be temporarily absent from international soccer competitions. After this, we can achieve great things in the future,” he said in Manado, North Sulawesi, on Friday.

Soccer world governing body FIFA has threatened to ban Indonesia from all international competitions, including the Singapore 2015 SEA Games in June, if the government’s dispute with the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) was not resolved by Friday.

The conflict between PSSI and the government peaked when Imam issued a letter dissolving the PSSI on April 17 after the latter's refusal to exclude two “legally flawed” clubs from the Indonesian Soccer League as recommended by the Indonesian Professional Sports Body (BOPI).

However, the dispute entered a new phase when the Swiss police arrested seven top FIFA officials based on official indictments by the US Department of Justice of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Jokowi has instructed Imam to keep holding regional soccer competitions. (fsu/nvn)