Indonesian league to kick off Nov. 16

JAKARTA (JP): Despite uncertainties over sponsorship, the fourth Indonesian League soccer competition is to start on Nov. 16, an Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) spokesman has said.

"Thirty-one clubs will compete in the fourth Indonesian League tournament and the system of competition will be different from before," Tondo Widodo said during a weekly association meeting Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by the association's secretary, Nugraha Besoes.

Tondo said that two clubs, Asyabaab Salim Group (ASGS) from Surabaya and Bandung Raya (BR) had withdrawn from the upcoming competition.

"ASGS and BR have not retracted the letters they sent to PSSI saying they had withdrawn from the Indonesian League."

He said that if ASGS and BR now wished to compete in the fourth league competition, they would have to qualify with the first division clubs and not get automatic entry as the other premier division sides do.

Tondo said that the 31 clubs would be divided into three zones, West (10 clubs), Central (11) and East (10).

"After the first round of home and away matches have been played, there will be 12 clubs and the clubs will be divided into four groups. To make it fair, each group will consist of home and away games," Tondo said.

The winners of the four groups will proceed to the semifinals on June 12 and the final is slated for June 14.

Tondo said the association was still negotiating with several companies over who would be the main sponsor.

"The Indonesian League competition will still continue since PT Cipta Citra has guaranteed the continuation of the League competitions as the company has signed an eight-year contract with PSSI," Tondo said.

Cipta Citra has bought the commercial rights of the Indonesian League for the first eight years and the company is obliged to give a subsidy of Rp 150 million to the premier division clubs, and Rp 5.35 billion to PSSI as development funds.

Tondo said that for this year's League competitions, each club had the right to seek their own sponsors. "But the sponsors may not come from television, sports clothing or tobacco companies.

"Cipta Citra has signed a contract with ANteve, Olan and a tobacco company, which will probably become the main sponsor." (lnt)