More soccer referees face bribery charges
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)