Kurniawan and Putu Gede get berths in national team
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)