Golden ball to be given to Soeharto<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The presentation of a golden ball to President
\nSoeharto will cap the 66th anniversary celebration of the All-
\nIndonesia Football Association next April.<\/p>\n
Reelected chairman of the association, Azwar Anas, said
\nyesterday that the country's surviving founding father of soccer,
\nEE Mangindaan, will present the golden ball to the President at
\nthe State Palace on April 19, the birthday of the association.<\/p>\n
Mangindaan, 85, will be accompanied by R. Maladi, 83,
\nIndonesia's minister of sports from 1956 to 1966, during the
\npresentation.<\/p>\n
\"Pak Harto has never missed anything about soccer. He even
\nmemorizes all the names of coaches,\" Azwar said after a meeting
\nwith Soeharto.<\/p>\n
\"I was surprised to know that Pak Harto is a former vice
\nchairman of the Surakarta, Central Java-based soccer club Persis
\nSolo,\" said Azwar.<\/p>\n
Persis was the strongest team during the Dutch colonial years.
\nIt won a record eight intercity soccer championships held by the
\nassociation, including six straight victories from 1939 to 1948.<\/p>\n
The association is a merge of seven city clubs in Java. They
\nmerged in Surakarta in April 1930. Representatives of the seven
\nclubs approved of the unification and named Suratin as the first
\nchairman.<\/p>\n
Azwar said he formally reported to Soeharto about the
\nassociation's national congress last month which decided to give
\nhim another four years in office.<\/p>\n
Azwar opted for a slimmer cabinet dominated by young figures.
\nThe reelected chairman reappointed Nugraha Besoes the secretary-
\ngeneral and maintained Nirwan Dermawan Bakrie in the technical
\npost. Nirwan also chairs the national team forming body.<\/p>\n
\"In the next four years, we will focus on preparing a better
\ncompetition format which we need to form a strong national team,\"
\nAzwar said. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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