Brazilians fail tests

Brazilians fail tests

JAKARTA (JP): East Kalimantan soccer club Putra Samarinda followed the footsteps of PSIS Semarang when it dropped two Brazilian players from its roster for the upcoming league season.

Samarinda announced yesterday that it released Sinval Fraga Pereira and Wallace Gomez Santos for failing a series of fitness tests conducted recently.

"Why should we acquire them if they cannot live up to our expectations?" executive director of the club, Harbiansyah, questioned. "They cost us a lot of money but they have no special skills," he added.

The two Brazilians joined their two compatriots dismissed earlier by PSIS Semarang, Central Java last week. A total of 21 Brazilian players were brought here by the International Sports Agency. They scattered to 10 clubs throughout the country for a series of ability tests before making a debut here in the new season.

The All-Indonesia Football Association insists on kicking off the league new season on Nov. 26, despite preparations for the 18th Southeast Asian Games in December. (amd)