Kurniawan and Putu Gede get berths in national team

JAKARTA (JP): Following their excellent performances in the just-concluded Bank Mandiri national soccer league, the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) invited Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto of PSM Makassar and I Putu Gede of Arema Malang to join the national team.

National team director Muhammad Zein also said on Monday Elli Aiboy had been dismissed from the national team.

"We have 26 players on the team who will start training this week. This number will be reduced to 20 after their performance at the Piala Kemerdekaan (Independence Cup) on Aug. 25."

Currently on the national team are goalkeepers Hendro Kartiko, I Komang Putra and Sahari Gultom; strikers Gendut Doni, Kurniawan, Rocky Puttiray, Bambang Pamungkas and Marthen Tao; midfielders Bima Sakti, Uston Nawawi, Francis Wewengkang, Imran Nahumarury, Yaris Riadi, Seto Nurdianto, Putu Gede and Aji Santoso; defenders Sugiantoro, Eko Purjianto, Slamet Ryadi, Warsidi, Nuralim, Jet Donald Laala and Dulla Baa; and wingbacks Ismet Sofyan, Anang Ma'aruf, Ortisan Salosa and Aji Santoso.

Zein also said PSSI would conduct random drug tests of national team members. "If a player fails a drug test, he will dismissed from the squad whoever he is. We will immediately send him to a rehabilitation center."

The national team is preparing for the 2000 Asian Cup in Lebanon in October and the Tiger Cup in Thailand in November.

Separately, PSSI official in charge of discipline, Andi Darussalam Tabusala, said the association could not sanction clubs which took part in last week's league semifinals and final and failed to prevent their supporters from rushing onto the field.

"We will recommend PSSI chairman Agum Gumelar revise the old regulations, which do not stipulate the guidelines for the semifinal and final matches," he said.

Darussalam also said PSSI could not punish the matches' organizing committee, chaired by PSSI treasurer Irawadi, for Sunday's incident when PSM supporters rushed onto the field to celebrate their team's 3-2 victory over Pupuk Kaltim Bontang of East Kalimantan in the final.

"The disciplinary commission is a small part of PSSI. We can not act like the attorney general, who can question anybody regardless of their position," he said.

Police officers were outnumbered and seemingly late in reacting to the rush of the crowd onto the field, which allowed fans to set off firecrackers and burn the tribune. (ivy)