More soccer referees face bribery charges

MEDAN, North Sumatra (JP): The probe into alleged collusive practices to fix the outcomes of soccer matches continued yesterday, with an official of the All-Indonesian Soccer Federation (PSSI) saying that two North Sumatran referees were involved.

Amran Y.S., head of the federation's referee and match supervisory affairs, refused to identify the suspects, but said they would soon face police questioning.

"We are out to carry on the anti-collusion drive to its end, and will not hesitate to take heavy punitive measures, including the revocation of their licenses if they are found guilty," he said at the province's legislative building.

"Club owners and managers will also be questioned if there are indications that they were involved in bribery," he said.

He said the moves currently taken by the soccer body were intended to restore public confidence in it.

Amran, who is also a youth activist, was here to support the campaign of a gubernatorial candidate. He joined a team set up by the national soccer body in 1987 to investigate a bribery case involving officials of North Sumatran club PSMS Medan.

He said a fact finding team recently established by the national soccer body had listed 30 referees across the country suspected of bribery and collusion.

"They won't be allowed to preside over matches in the upcoming league matches, pending completion of police investigations," he said.

The league will resume competition Sunday, with 31 clubs divided into three conferences.

A source with the North Sumatra soccer body, however, said yesterday that at least seven local referees should be charged for fixing matches.

The source, who requested anonymity, identified five of the seven referees as Zai, Nga, Has, Nor and Asw.

He said the seven referees came under scrutiny after the provincial soccer body found that their licenses were invalid.

In Jakarta, spokesman for the national soccer body Tondo Widodo confirmed yesterday that dozens of referees had been listed as suspects.

"Their involvement has been clarified and they will face administrative sanctions," he said.

Tondo, however, declined to reveal names, saying they would be presented first to the secretary-general of the soccer body.

Referee Arhan Armaya urged the federation yesterday to use only junior referees in the coming league matches, saying he doubted the morals of senior referees who had obtained international certificates.

"Certificates and licenses are easy things to get as long as we own money. However, they do not guarantee good morals and honesty," he said.

"I've been working as a referee for years, so I know the good and the dark side of this kind of job," he said. (21/emf)