Senayan set to stage Milan-Persib match<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Organizers of today's international friendly
\npitting soccer giant AC Milan against Persib Bandung consider
\nSenayan stadium in fine condition for the match.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Agum Gumelar said after a brief visit to
\nthe 100,000-seat stadium yesterday that the venue is qualified to
\nhold any world-class competition.<\/p>\n
Milan, brought by promoter Eddy Sofyan in cooperation with
\nRepublika daily, will play the winner of the intercity amateur
\nsoccer championship as a part of its world summer tour. The match
\nwill be aired live on RCTI television, starting from 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
The five-time European champion will have another friendly in
\nSurabaya, East Java on Monday. Another private station TPI will
\ntelevised Monday's match, starting from 3 p.m.<\/p>\n
Several workers sprayed the green pitch with water as Agum,
\namateur league administrator of the All Indonesia Football
\nAssociation (PSSI) and commander of the National Army's elite
\nforces Kopassus, was \"forced\" to take a close look at the soccer
\nfield followed by journalists.<\/p>\n
The pressmen were dissatisfied to hear Agum say: \"It has been
\nreported that the pitch is okay,\" without trying to verify this
\nfact.<\/p>\n
Agum told the reporters who accompanied him during the 20-
\nminute round trip that he was proud of the Senayan stadium and
\nhoped that someday the stadium would only stage prestigious
\nmatches. The 32-year old venue, built to host the fourth Asian
\nGames in 1962, has been widely used by many soccer teams.<\/p>\n
\"We have to be selective in the long run. Everybody dreams of
\nadopting England's Road to Wembley,\" Agum said. The one-star
\ngeneral said that this dream would probably never come true,
\nblaming the scarcity of soccer fields in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The current drive for development has, to some extent, caused
\nmany sport venues to vanish,\" he said. \"Development should adjust
\nitself to the existing circumstance,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Tunnel<\/p>\n
The focus of yesterday's trip was the organizers' plan to use
\nthe 22-year old, rarely used, underground tunnel which goes
\nunderneath the stadium out to the pitch. All the players in
\ntodays's match enter the pitch through the tunnel, in an attempt
\nto prevent frantic fans from getting close to the star-studded
\nMilan's players.<\/p>\n
The underground entrance was built in the stadium to serve as
\nan emergency exit for players during a riot.<\/p>\n
\"There will be no direct contact between players and the
\ncrowd, as we need the match run in a disciplined way,\" Agum said,
\nnoting the recent friendly featuring another Italian elite club
\nSampdoria.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of security officers were unable to control a
\ndisruptive mob who hurled plastic bottles at each other when
\nSampdoria played Indonesia's Liga Selection early last month.<\/p>\n
The organizers will ban sticks, plastic bottles and other
\nobjects which may be used to promote disorder in the stadium.
\nStreet vendors will not be allowed to sell their goods around the
\nstadium either. No less than 1,500 security officers will be
\ndeployed to maintain order in today's match.<\/p>\n
The curved 25-meter tunnel has been repainted and decorated
\nwith green carpet. The lane of the underground corridor is around
\n150-centimeters wide and two-meters high. It looks uncomfortable
\nfor European people who are larger than the average Indonesian.<\/p>\n
At least 30 chutists from Russia and Kopassus will perform a
\nparachuting exhibition before the kick-off of the event. The
\nchutists are taking part in the Kopassus international skydiving
\nand parachuting championships in Serang, West Java. (amd)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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