PSSI to proceed soccer with soccer league playoffs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) has
\ndecided to hold the Indonesian league playoffs at Senayan stadium
\ncomplex in Central Jakarta and has prepared a contingency plan to
\navert any possible unrest.<\/p>\n
Maj. Gen. Sartomo, head of the playoffs' organization
\ncommittee, expressed his wish that the matches proceed as
\nscheduled without any of the security disturbances that have
\noften occurred when spectators are not satisfied with the result.<\/p>\n
\"I hope there will not be unrest. I would like to call on the
\nplayers and soccer fanatics to restrain themselves from attacking
\neach other as we want to preserve the country's image abroad,\" he
\ntold reporters after attending a draw to determine the grouping
\nof 10 clubs from three regional conferences vying for three
\nchampionship berths.<\/p>\n
He said that PSSI would immediately move the rest of the
\nmatches to soccer fields at a military training complex at
\nCimahi, West Java should any incident happen.<\/p>\n
\"The playoffs must continue no matter what happens, or there
\nwill be an image abroad that this country is no longer safe,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The playoffs will be from March 16 to March 26.<\/p>\n
PSSI originally planned to hold them in Jakarta, Surabaya in
\nEast Java and Medan in North Sumatra, but changed its mind and
\nnamed Jakarta the host of the championship's second round.<\/p>\n
The association terminated last season's league just before
\nthe playoff stage due to security concerns.<\/p>\n
Before PSSI decided to hold the soccer matches in Jakarta,
\nSurabaya and Medan, it was considering having the matches played
\nat military complexes including the National Military Academy in
\nMagelang inCentral Java and the Air Force Academy at Yogyakarta,
\nbut the plan was put off due to accommodation difficulties.<\/p>\n
Tondo Widodo, the association's spokesman, said PSSI had also
\nset out preventative measures aimed at screening out the
\nspectators who really want to see a match from any irresponsible
\nparties who wished to spark commotions.<\/p>\n
Tondo added that the security around the stadium be placed in
\ndifferent areas, so anyone entering the stadium will be a real
\nspectator.<\/p>\n
\"The security men will keep an eye on spectators who enter the
\nstadium without any tickets. We don't want to repeat last year's
\nincident where many people entering the stadium did not possess a
\nticket,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He also said that ticket prices have been raised.<\/p>\n
Entry to the West VIP stand is Rp 20,000, First Class and East
\nVIP Rp 10,000 while the cheapest is Rp 5,000.<\/p>\n
For the semifinal and final rounds, tickets for the West VIP
\nare Rp 25,000, First Class and East VIP Rp 15,000 and Rp 5,000
\nthe remainder.<\/p>\n
Hartono Purnomo Sidhi, who is training the Persebaya Surabaya
\nteam, said that his team would not bring its supporters to
\nJakarta for fear of inciting unrest.<\/p>\n
\"We won't prevent them if they want to come here on their own
\naccount. We only wish they maintain order here to keep up the
\ngood image of our team, Surabaya and East Java in general,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Surabaya's soccer fanatics, popularly known as bonek, an
\nacronym for bondo nekat, are famous for their zealous support of
\nthe team, and their participation in almost every match involving
\nPersebaya inevitably leads to chaos. (ivy)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pssi-to-proceed-soccer-with-soccer-league-playoffs-1447893297",
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