Hayono discusses hooliganism

Hayono discusses hooliganism

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman will discuss the steps to be taken to control hooliganism in national soccer with the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) today.

Hayono's assistant Imam Suyudi told reporters yesterday that the discussion, scheduled for today's fast breaking at the PSSI secretariat, would also involve the security forces.

"We want to exchange ideas during the meeting," Imam said. The government, he said, was concerned about the increasing incidence of hooliganism among soccer fans.

Mass brawls during matches of the new Indonesian league climaxed two weeks ago when a Persebaya Surabaya supporter, Suhermansyah, was trampled to death during a riot after a match against PSIM at the Mandala Krida stadium in Yogyakarta. It was the third such riot within a year at the stadium.

At the time an emotional Hayono had blasted the incident and suggested that the three-month-old league be stopped. Riots frequently marred the now-defunct intercity amateur championship.

Elsewhere, hooliganism killed Vincenzo Spagnolo, a soccer fan from Genoa, Italy, last Wednesday when he was stabbed to death by a supporter of the rival AC Milan. The incident forced the Italian Sports Council to suspend all sports matches, except the Davis Cup duel pitting Italy against the Czech Republic, until the weekend.

"Disbanding the Indonesian league would be the worst case scenario -- if we fail to find any other solution," Imam said.

PSSI Secretary General Soeparjo Pontjowinoto, said earlier that the PSSI would go on staging the league, which unifies 34 teams from both semi-professional and amateur sides.

Imam said there were still many ways to cope with sports hooliganism in Indonesia. "Fanatical supporters are okay. The problem is how to inculcate them with ethics," he said. (amd)