AFC's envoy upset about Siliwangi stadium's condition<\/p>\n
BANDUNG (JP): The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) warned
\nPersib Bandung yesterday that visiting players would likely
\nrefuse to play unless the club upgraded facilities at Siliwangi
\nstadium.<\/p>\n
AFC envoy R.I. Indran said in a meeting with Persib following
\na visit yesterday to the Siliwangi stadium, the site of the Asian
\nChampionship League Group East quarterfinals at the end of this
\nmonth, that players are allowed to strike if they are not
\nsatisfied with the facilities provided by a host.<\/p>\n
Indran expressed his disappointment over the stadium's
\ncondition and the facilities available there. He said that
\nneither the turf on the playing field, nor the players' locker
\nrooms at the 30,000-seat stadium met international standards.
\nIndran also criticized the lack of a press room at the stadium.<\/p>\n
The Secretary-General of the All-Indonesia Football
\nAssociation (PSSI), Soeparjo Pontjowinoto, accompanied Indran
\nduring the one-day trip to the capital city of West Java.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian envoy said AFC would give Persib time to upgrade
\nthe stadium.<\/p>\n
"I'll be back here to look at what they have done," Indran
\nsaid. He did not say when he would return to Bandung.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, AFC named Persib the host of the round-robin
\nmatches, scheduled for Nov. 26-Nov. 30. The Group East
\nquarterfinals will see Persib, South Korean champion Ilhwa
\nChunma, Japan champion Verdy Kawasaki and Cup holder Thai Farmers
\nin the fray. The top two teams will meet their counterparts from
\nGroup West in the semifinals.<\/p>\n
Soeparjo had earlier suggested that Persib hold the
\nquarterfinals at the Senayan stadium in Jakarta. The 32-year-old
\nstadium has 110,000 seats, almost three times as many as
\nSiliwangi.<\/p>\n
Another PSSI official, Max Boboy, supported Persib's choice of
\nthe Silawangi stadium. "Persib are just facing minor problems.
\nEverything is up to Persib now," Boboy said.<\/p>\n
AFC plans to pay the host team US$50,000 in exchange for the
\nTV rights. (pet\/amd)<\/p>",
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