Azwar prepared to quit as PSSI chairman
JAKARTA (JP): All Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) chairman Azwar Anas took the blame on Sunday for Indonesia's farcical defeat to Thailand in their Tiger Cup group match, saying he was prepared to step down on account of it.
Azwar made his comments on welcoming the national soccer team back from the tournament in Vietnam, in which it finished third after beating Thailand on penalties in the third-place playoff.
"If people want me to resign due to the bizarre match, then I will be ready to quit as the federation's chairman," Azwar said as quoted by Antara, adding that he asked for soccer fans' forgiveness for the team's failure to win the tournament as promised.
Coach Rusdy Bahalwan and team manager Andrie Amin asked to resign on Saturday.
Criticism poured in on the Indonesian team after midfielder Mursyid Effendy deliberately scored an own goal to give Thailand a 3-2 win and thus Indonesia avoided host Vietnam in the semifinals. Rusdy defended his squad's own goal, saying his players were angry with Thailand's lackluster play.
Indonesia and Thailand were fined US$40,000 each by the ASEAN Football Federation for their unsportsmanlike conduct.
Ironically, Indonesia crashed to Singapore in the semifinals. The Lions went on to win the Cup after defeating Vietnam 1-0 in the final.
The Indonesian team received a quiet welcome at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport. On their arrival, the players were whisked to the VIP room, where dozens of reporters and the players' families were waiting.
The players left the airport by their own transportation as the federation did not provide them a bus, as it used to.
It had previously been expected that some people would greet the team with cynical remarks or even rotten eggs.
That did not transpire. Instead, apathy reigned and nobody seemed to care about the team's arrival.
In Yogyakarta, State Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Agung Laksono said on Sunday that the resignation of Andrie and Rusdy was not enough.
"Both Andrie and Rusdy must publicly explain their team's weird showing. I myself am waiting for their explanation," Agung said after attending the inauguration ceremony of some professors at Gadjah Mada University.
Following the group game defeat to Thailand, the National Sports Council announced it would not send the soccer team to the Asian Games in Bangkok this December.
But Thai Deputy Prime Minister Bhichai Ratakul said he had asked Indonesia to reconsider withdrawing the team. AFP reported that in his message conveyed through Indonesia's ambassador in Bangkok, Bhichai said Indonesia should send the team for the sake of ASEAN "spirit." (44/lnt)