PSSI measures force teams to play without spectators<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): All spectators and reporters will be barred from
\nwatching the next league matches of both Yogyakarta's PSIM and
\nSurabaya's Persebaya, the All Indonesia Football Federation
\n(PSSI) announced on Saturday.<\/p>\n
"Not just spectators but reporters too will have to stay out.
\nHowever, results will be made available right after the matches,"
\nMax Boboy, the league's match administrator, told reporters.<\/p>\n
He was quoted by Kompas yesterday saying that the PSSI
\ndisciplinary commission would formally notify both PSIM and
\nPersebaya about the decision today.<\/p>\n
According to Boboy, each team will be allowed to bring 19
\nplayers and six officials plus a referee, two linesmen, match
\ninspectors, security guards, a medical team and the match
\nadministration committee which he chairs.<\/p>\n
The decision is one of the disciplinary measures imposed by
\nPSSI on the two teams, whose fans were recently involved in a
\nriot which led to the death of Persebaya supporter Suhermansyah
\nduring their match in Yogyakarta, PSIM's home base, on Jan. 28.<\/p>\n
The announcement serves as a reinforcement for a previous
\npunishment and requires them to play their first home matches 200
\nkilometers away from their bases when the Indonesian soccer
\nleague resumes after the end of the fasting month in March.<\/p>\n
If everything goes on according to the PSSI schedule, empty
\nseats will witness PSIM taking on South Sulawesi's PSM Ujung
\nPandang in the Lebak Bulus stadium in South Jakarta on March 12,
\nat 3.30 p.m. and Persebaya facing home rivals Mitra Surabaya on
\nMarch 15 in the Citarum stadium in Semarang, Central Java,
\nscheduled to kick off at 3 p.m.<\/p>\n
The announcement, however, has sparked debate among the
\ninvolved parties. Firstly for financial reasons and secondly for
\nregional pride, both Mitra Surabaya and Persebaya wanted the
\nmatch to be held in Jember, East Java, which is much nearer to
\ntheir bases in Surabaya.<\/p>\n
"If the public is barred from watching the game, what's the
\npoint of requiring us playing in a place as far as Semarang?"
\nPersebaya's secretary Paul Tahalele was quoted as saying by Jawa
\nPos yesterday. Tahalele added Persebaya would send a team to
\nformally bargain with PSSI about the location.<\/p>\n
Given that Mitra is scheduled to challenge their other home
\nrivals, Assyaabaab SGS, at home on March 19, four days after it
\ntakes on Persebaya, the traveling might affect the players'
\nstamina, Mitra's spokesman, Agil Ali, was reported by Antara as
\nsaying on Saturday. Ali also suggested spectators be allowed to
\nwatch the match for free.<\/p>\n
PSIM, according to a report in the Jawa Pos, said it actually
\npreferred to play in closer cities such as West Java's Cimahi or
\nCirebon, but that it would not protest the decision. (arf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pssi-measures-force-teams-to-play-without-spectators-1447893297",
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