{
    "success": true,
    "data": {
        "id": 1053945,
        "msgid": "iraq-friendly-cancelled-over-flight-problem-1447893297",
        "date": "1996-10-22 00:00:00",
        "title": "Iraq friendly cancelled over flight problem",
        "author": null,
        "source": "JP",
        "tags": null,
        "topic": null,
        "summary": "Iraq friendly cancelled over flight problem JAKARTA (JP): An Asia Cup finals warmup match pitting Indonesia against Iraq tomorrow has been called off following flight problems that hit the Iraqis as they were about to depart. Secretary-General of the All-Indonesia Football Association Nugraha Besoes told a press conference yesterday that the Iraqi Ambassador, Dr. Sa'doon J. Al-Zubaydi, had contacted him twice Sunday evening to confirm the cancellation.",
        "content": "<p>Iraq friendly cancelled over flight problem<\/p>\n<p>JAKARTA (JP): An Asia Cup finals warmup match pitting<br>\nIndonesia against Iraq tomorrow has been called off following<br>\nflight problems that hit the Iraqis as they were about to depart.<\/p>\n<p>Secretary-General of the All-Indonesia Football Association<br>\nNugraha Besoes told a press conference yesterday that the Iraqi<br>\nAmbassador, Dr. Sa'doon J. Al-Zubaydi, had contacted him twice<br>\nSunday evening to confirm the cancellation.<\/p>\n<p>\"The Iraqi national team could not make their way here because<br>\nthey failed to get seats on the Royal Air Jordan plane which<br>\nwould fly them from Amman to Jakarta,\" Nugraha quoted Al-Zubaydi<br>\nas saying yesterday.<\/p>\n<p>Nugraha dismissed any political reasons behind the Iraqi<br>\nplayers' failure to make a trip here. \"It's merely a technical<br>\nproblem. Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas had confirmed the<br>\nmatch would face no political barriers,\" he said.<\/p>\n<p>Iraq has been enduring international sanctions imposed by the<br>\nUnited Nations since 1991 following the Gulf War. An Iraqi junior<br>\nteam played here in the 1994 Asia Under-18 Championship.<\/p>\n<p>The Iraqi team was scheduled to arrive today for the friendly<br>\nmatch which was to be held at Senayan Stadium tomorrow evening.<\/p>\n<p>Both Iraq and Indonesia have qualified for the Asia Cup finals<br>\nin the United Arab Emirates in December.<\/p>\n<p>According to Nugraha, the Iraqi team would be able to reach<br>\nJakarta on Oct. 25, but the Indonesian team will be in Genoa,<br>\nItaly at that time for an overseas stint. Danurwindo's side is<br>\nscheduled to fly to Italy on Oct. 24.<\/p>\n<p>\"It is not our fault. We've prepared everything: a sparring<br>\nteam and accommodation for the Iraqis. We've even printed tickets<br>\nfor the match,\" Nugraha said.<\/p>\n<p>Argentina had earlier agreed to send a team to play here and<br>\nsaid that the squad would arrive on Oct. 22, one day before the<br>\nIndonesians' planned first friendly. The Indonesian soccer body<br>\nconsidered the date inconvenient.<\/p>\n<p>\"It was too risky for a team to get ready in a very limited<br>\ntime,\" Nugraha said.<\/p>\n<p>Nugraha said the Indonesian team has yet to plan any<br>\nsubstitute international friendly before departing to Italy.<br>\n(yan)<\/p>",
        "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/iraq-friendly-cancelled-over-flight-problem-1447893297",
        "image": ""
    },
    "sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
    "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}