Local players get light bans for fight
Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Following a four-year ban slapped on Jorge Toledo of Persita Tangerang, the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) announced suspensions for three other players here on Thursday.
Goalkeeper Samsidar, midfielder Ismed Sofyan, both of Persija Jakarta and Persita's goalkeeper Ahmad Kurniawan were handed a four-month ban for their involvement in the clash during the Persija-Persita match at the Bung Karno stadium here on Sunday.
PSSI's disciplinary commission also announced that the three players were fined Rp 10 million (approximately US$1,180) each.
The Chilean Toledo, who was deemed to have initiated the brawl, was also fined for his unruly conduct on Monday. The punishment included a Rp 20 million fine.
Monday's reports said Toledo ran across the field and deliberately assaulted Ismed.
The commission also banned Freddy, who is a translator for Persija's coach Carlos Maria Garcia Cambon of Argentina, from any activities in Indonesian soccer for four years as "he was reported to have been actively involved in the clash".
Commission head Togar Manahan Nero told reporters in a press conference after the meeting that the rulings were based on reports as well as video footage from three TV stations.
Representatives from both sides were also summoned to provide clarifications about the clash.
According to TV footage, Samsidar and Ismed retaliated by assaulting Persita's players, including Toledo, while Kurniawan was seen brawling with Persija's Budi Sudarsono.
However, the commission said it was not convinced as yet about Budi's involvement and has planned to summon Budi for a hearing on Monday.
Monday's hearing will also see more video footage from a different TV station, said Togar.
Commenting on the significant difference in punishment between the three local players and the foreign-born Toledo, the commission's deputy head Edison Betahubun would only say it was because the Chilean had apparently initiated the incident.
Edison admitted that it was also because Toledo had failed "to become a good model" for his domestic counterparts, which worked against the Chilean.
"To see a foreign player setting a bad example is really disappointing and such a player deserves harsher punishment, while for the locals, we consider the suspension as an educative disciplinary act," he explained.
Due to the suspension, Samsidar and Ismed will be excluded from the national team's trip to Saudi Arabia on Feb. 18 for the Asian zone qualifying matches for the 2006 World Cup qualifying matches.
Earlier, the national team coach Ivan Venkov Kolev revealed that he had yet to call up the players for the matches, saying that he would still need to monitor the players performances in five more matches of the Indonesian soccer league.
The chosen matches are Deltras Sidoarjo vs Persebaya Surabaya, Persita vs Persikota Tangerang, Persita vs PSPS Pekanbaru, Persija vs PSM Makassar and Persela Lamongan vs Persik Kediri.
The squad is scheduled to have a training camp in Jakarta from Feb. 1 to 9 and an overseas try-out on Feb. 10 to 12.
The tentative opponents are United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Jordan. Kolev will be assisted by his fellow Bulgarian Atanas Giorgiev.