New RI soccer league to be named Dunhill
New RI soccer league to be named Dunhill
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian professional soccer league became
reality after the country's soccer governing body agreed to re-
name it.
The Indonesian League was renamed the Dunhill League after the
cigarette producer agreed to pay Rp 4.35 billion (US$2 million)
to sponsor the league's first competition round which is slated
to start at the end of November.
"We will as of now formally use the name 'Dunhill League'
instead of 'Indonesian League' for three years," said chairman of
the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Azwar Anas on
Wednesday, disclosing the voting on sponsorship at the meeting of
the association's executive directors.
Azwar said the meeting unanimously decided on PT Cipta Citra,
Dunhill's representative in Indonesia, as lead sponsor to finance
the league competitions for its first three years.
The new name thus put an end to speculation surrounding
sponsorship, Azwar said, calling on the league's management to
begin preparations for the November kick-off.
Director of the National Team Committee Nirwan Bakrie, who
confirmed he had no share in PT Cipta, said that previously his
company set up PT Citra Sportindotama to act as lead sponsor for
the Indonesian League but later canceled it as Dunhill when
announced lead sponsor.
Azwar said the association's meeting, which also elected the
league's management, included only one representative from
Dunhill, Yakni Said, the company's marketing director, who will
serve as a member on the league's sponsorship and promotion
committee, Kompas reported yesterday.
This means that Dunhill will have a say in the league's
management which is against the will of Agum Gumelar, the
association's chairman for amateur athletics.
Agum was reported earlier to have refused to be elected
chairman of the league's management, but Azwar said that the
meeting named him chairman.
Azwar, who is also Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare,
said that of the amount, Rp 100 million will be allotted to
subsidize each primary division team, and Rp 50 million for each
first division one.
The subsidizing, Azwar said, will be done in four stages. He
added that the first competition league will be held at the end
of November so as not to coincide with the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation meeting which will be held in mid-November in Bogor.
Status
Nirwan said the competition has no status since it involved a
contract with the sponsor while on the other hand, some of its
participants have amateur status.
Speaking of status, Nirwan said it is only the participants
who have either amateur or professional status.
However, sources said that Nirwan's statement did nothing to
clarify the competition's unclear status if local associations,
which are amateur, should be obliged to use the Dunhill logo.
Nirwan said players will be obliged to sport jerseys bearing
the Dunhill logo. Other sponsors will be allowed to add their
logos, but only on the backs or on the arms, provided they are
not cigarette companies. (arf)