Government laments increase in soccer-related violence

JAKARTA (JP): The government deplored yesterday the mounting violence at soccer matches and called on clubs to avoid mobilizing supporters.

State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman said after a meeting with senior officials of the All-Indonesia Football Association that the government was disappointed that soccer matches always seemed to trigger riots among rival supporters.

Hayono invited the soccer officials to hear reports on the organization of the brawl-marred Indonesian soccer league championship, which concluded last Sunday.

"The government is concerned that the riots which always take place tarnish soccer matches, as was last exemplified by the destructive behavior of supporters deployed by a certain team during the recent soccer league finale," Hayono said.

Dejected supporters from Mitra Surabaya vandalized tens of cars following their team's semifinal defeat to eventual champion Mastrans Bandung Raya on Friday. The East Javanese supporters had earlier ransacked stations and robbed and looted en route to Jakarta.

As a result, angry people in Central Java hurled stones at all trains heading for East Java Sunday in retaliation to the Surabaya hooligans' vandalism.

The state-owned railway company, PT Perumka, said that the outbreak cost it an estimated Rp 1 billion (US$429,000) in financial losses.

Hayono sparked controversy on the national soccer scene early last year when he suggested the league be disbanded following a riot in Yogyakarta which claimed a life.

"Mobilizing supporters always has harmful effects," Hayono told the soccer officials yesterday. "Soccer matches should offer entertainment instead of inciting brawls and stampedes."

The minister welcomed East Java Governor Basofi Sudirman's pledge to repay all financial losses caused by East Javanese supporters.

Secretary-general of the soccer body Nugraha Besoes admitted the league organizers had not anticipated such incidents, but promised that they will run a better league next season.

"We are going to impose strict punitive measures on either players or clubs who violate the rules. We admit there are some people involved in the league lacking professionalism," Nugraha said.

Nugraha also announced that league organizers may suffer a Rp 80 million deficit this year. The soccer body received Rp 20 million from ticket sales but had to spend some Rp 100 million to lease facilities from the Senayan Management Board. (amd)