Perbasi slaps six-month ban and Rp 10 million fine on Panasia

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Basketball Association (Perbasi) announced it would ban Bandung-based Panasia Indosyntec from national competitions for six months and fine the club Rp 10 million (US$1,413).

Perbasi executive director, Sri Sudono Sumarto, announced on Thursday that based on decision letter numbered 219/PB/XII/1999, the punishment for Panasia would be effective from Dec. 23 to June 23, 2000.

"Getting suspended for six months will be tough enough on the club and players. That's why we reviewed the suggestion to punish them for one year. Chairman Pak Sutiyoso asked that the punishment not be vicious," he said.

"If Panasia disqualifies itself, then the national basketball league Kobatama will lose a strong participant and it will not be good for basketball development in the country."

Perbasi also chastened Panasia team manager Danny Kosasih about declining to continue the semifinal match on Dec. 4 against Mahaka Satria Muda (SM), which later won the 1999 Kobatama. Danny will be given a stiffer punishment than just a warning if he does the same thing in the future.

The incident followed a decision by referee Hadi Wasito to give an outball to Panasia, which was reversed after SM protested. Hadi altered his decision after a brief review with match supervisor Setia Dharma Madjid, and decided on a jump ball.

Panasia skipped the final match and was ranked fourth after Aspac of Jakarta. Should Panasia perform in the 2001 Kobatama, they will be ranked 10th.

Perbasi also issued letter number 220/PB/XII/1999 that warned Hadi not to make such a poor decision in the future.

"I think Hadi made the same human error as others have. He was really tense during the semifinal match. However, we hope next year we can stage training for national referees in order to boost their performance. Basically, they are good but they are lacking in experience," Sudono said.

He also said Panasia should not compete in promotional or relegation matches as it was qualified for the main division of the Kobatama league.

Sudono also announced that Sutiyoso, who is also the Jakarta governor and the chairman of the Indonesian Shooting and Hunting Association (Perbakin), planned to meet club owners in January after the Idul Fitri holiday.

"Pak Sutiyoso is willing to listen to club owners' aspirations in order to improve the Kobatama league system in the future." (yan)