Government laments increase in soccer-related violence
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)