Minister wants soccer fans to behave properly
Minister wants soccer fans to behave properly
JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Agung
Laksono called yesterday on the country's soccer fans to behave
themselves when the All Indonesian Soccer Federation restarts the
professional league in October.
Agung said the league's survival prospects would depend very
much on the supporters' good behavior, considering the fact that
they had been prone to run amok in the past.
"Now that the country's security situation is getting better,
I think this is the perfect time for the federation to resume the
league. I hope fans can show good manners in stadiums. No more
hooliganism.
"Their good behavior will contribute to league's existence in
the future. So I beg the soccer fans to help us create a mutually
beneficial situation during the league."
Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces Commander Gen.
Wiranto gave the federation the green light Wednesday to kick off
the professional league's fifth season.
If the plan goes as expected, the new league will feature only
20 clubs, instead of 31 as in previous seasons.
Wiranto, who chairs the Indonesian Contract Bridge Association
and the Indonesian Karate-do Federation, told the soccer
federation's chairman Azwar Anas that the league should no longer
be a forum for hooligans.
The federation stopped the league prematurely in March due to
fears that the unfavorable political climate would trigger more
violence. Soccer crowds had caused serious damage to a number of
stadiums before the league was terminated.
The Asian Football Confederation banned Indonesia from hosting
international competitions for six months after hooligans marred
the soccer final in the 19th Southeast Asian Games here last
October. Indonesia lost the match to Thailand in a penalty shoot-
out.
Political uncertainties also cost Indonesia its right to host
the second Tiger Cup.
Agung said that if soccer fans managed to maintain a peaceful
atmosphere during the league, the Armed Forces would not hesitate
to allow the federation to hold more international competitions.
Earlier this week, Agung said he had invited one of Portugal's
best soccer teams, Benfica or FC Porto, for a friendly game to
boost diplomatic ties between the two countries.
On Wednesday, the national soccer team defeated Sydney United
4-1 in its last warm-up before playing in the Tiger Cup in
Vietnam next week. The Rusdy Bahalwan squad will leave for
Vietnam on Monday.
The tournament will serve as a yardstick for the national team
in its bid to compete in the 13th Asian Games in Bangkok in
December.
The National Sports Council has said it will only send the
team to Bangkok if its reaches the Tiger Cup final. (yan)