Jakarta to host Asian futsal championship

Jakarta to host Asian futsal championship

JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta is set to host the Asian Futsal
Championship in October 2002, according to an official from the
Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI).

Ronny Pattinasarany, the PSSI's official in charge of futsal
development, said that the Asian soccer governing body, the AFC,
had approved Indonesia's proposal to host the event.

The PSSI submitted the proposal at an AFC meeting in Tehran
last July, which coincided with the 3rd Asian Futsal
Championship.

When asked why Indonesia won the approval given the fact that
the sport only arrived in the country in February, Ronny said:
"The AFC sees that Indonesia is eligible to host the event."

"And we are prepared for that," the soccer living legend said
on the sidelines of a coaching clinic jointly organized by the
PSSI and McDonald's here on Tuesday. He said that the date of the
event would be revealed later.

In preparation for the Asian event, the PSSI is set to unveil
the Premier Futsal League starting next month. The competition
will feature 16 clubs, which will be divided into four groups,
and is expected to last between seven and ten days.

Of the participating clubs, six will come from Bandung,
Surabaya, Balikpapan in East Kalimantan, Purwokerto in Central
Java and Jakarta. The PSSI has visited these cities as part of
the futsal coaching clinic program.

Ronny said the program would be introduced in another three
towns this month, namely Makassar in South Sulawesi, Semarang and
Medan in North Sumatra.

"During October we will go to another seven towns before the
inauguration of the league," he said, adding that the league
would serve as the selection ground for a national team.

Cepi Husada, an executive member of the Indonesian futsal
league organizer, said the PSSI had decided to allow a futsal
team to include soccer players associated with the Indonesian
soccer premier league.

"To make the game competitive and interesting, they are
allowed to play. Otherwise, we fear that futsal may become a
second-class game," he said.

Futsal was first introduced in February this year and the PSSI
has been picking up the pace in marketing the sport throughout
the country.

A program aimed at introducing the sport to youth has also
been put into effect with the launch of "McFutsal With Ronny
Pattinasarany" at Don Bosco senior high school in East Jakarta on
Tuesday.

"Through this promotion, we want to accelerate the spread of
the sport across the country as required by the AFC," Ronny said.
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