Coke Cup marred by referee decision

Coke Cup marred by referee decision

JAKARTA (JP): Aceh refused to continue playing against host
East Java during the second round match of the National Coke Cup
Under-15s soccer championship at the Tambak Sari stadium in
Surabaya yesterday.

The score was 3-0 for East Java when Aceh quit the match. Aceh
abandoned the match after referee Mugito flashed a red card to
Riza Amri and punished Aceh with a penalty kick.

Aceh's captain and goalie, Masykur, accepted the penalty in
the first instance. But after discussing it with the other
Acehese officials, Masykur said his team rejected the penalty.

The East Java referee, on the other hand, staunchly pressed
his decision. Aceh answered him by withdrawing from the game,
which was 31 minutes away from final whistle.

As a result, Aceh was barred from playing against its next
opponent, Jakarta, and East Java was given five additional points
to make it 8-0.

Aceh coach Zulfikar Abas was unrepentant about his team's
decision. "The referee wasn't fair," he said. "He was one-sided.
We can accept the red card... But a penalty kick? No way. None of
our players committed errors which warrant such a penalty."

Some other teams have also expressed disappointments because,
as of yesterday, they have not yet received the promised laundry
allowance of Rp 20,000. They are particularly upset about the
fact that some ousted teams have already gone home without
receiving the money.

The championship organizer said the money could not be paid
yet because the All-Indonesia Soccer Association has not yet sent
the money to the organizers.

Another incident blighting the second round's first day was
that East Java's team manager was robbed by four men. The four
culprits forced him to hand over Rp 700,000 and his wristwatch
while he was walking, alone, to a nearby mosque. (arf)