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1,100 officers to secure amateur soccer tourney

JAKARTA (JP): The All Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) pledges to maintain order and fair play during the upcoming intercity amateur soccer championship by involving 1,176 officers from Jakarta's police force and the local military command.

The security officials, who are responsible for protecting soccer players, referees, officials, spectators and the facilities at the 100,000-seat Senayan stadium, include a special task force which will be covertly deployed to prevent anyone from attempting bribery.

"We are ready to maintain orderly and qualified competitions," Agum Gumelar, PSSI's amateur league administrator, said yesterday.

He warned soccer players, managers, official, referees and outsiders not to encourage match-fixing.

"Never try to offer nor accept bribes," he said, adding that those who are found doing so will face strong punitive measures.

A 1980 act on bribery stipulates that anyone offering bribes faces a maximum five years of imprisonment or a Rp 15 million (US$7,000) fine, while people who accept bribes can be sentenced to three years in prison or fined Rp 15 million.

Chairman of PSSI's referee commission Jafar Umar said earlier the national soccer body would impose a life ban on people caught accepting bribes.

Agum said he has been watching several known gamblers who are deemed likely to try to fix matches through bribery. He declined to announce their names, saying that he had to abide by the presumption of innocence principle.

The committee's official in charge of security affairs, Lt. Col. S.Y. Wenas, said the officers would use tough measures only if they failed to carry out preventive steps.

"We assume the crowd will fill the stadium just to enjoy the frenetic matches, but we also believe that some of them will deliberately want to cause riots," Wenas said.

The security officers, armed with truncheons rather than firearms, have been ordered to open all the gates at the stadium and drive the crowd out in case a massive brawl breaks out.

A PSSI disciplinary team will be inspecting every match and is instructed to take any necessary steps once a brawl the footballers happens. The team of six has been authorized to determine the guilty side, as well as the penalties they may face.

While using "the stick" in an attempt to maintain fair play, PSSI also is offering "carrots." A special team has been assigned to evaluate the performances of individual footballers and to select the best player and the best team.

"The best player is not always the top scorer, and the best team may not be the champion," Agum said. PSSI has provided cash rewards for those selected, but he declined to mention the amounts.

All eight participating teams are scheduled to arrive here today. The organizers will hold a welcome party in the evening.

The organizers have set the ticket prices for weekdays at between Rp 2,000 (90 US cents) and Rp 20,000 (US$9.00). The prices increase to between Rp 3,000 ($1.40) and Rp 25,000 ($11.70) for Saturday's semifinals and Sunday's final. (amd)