Persebaya chief gets 10-year ban from soccer

Persebaya chief gets 10-year ban from soccer

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Defending champion Persebaya's abrupt withdrawal from the 2005
Indonesian League soccer championships has brought a 10-year ban
from the sport for its chairman Bambang DH.

The disciplinary commission of the Indonesian Soccer
Association (PSSI) announced the punishment here on Thursday,
Antara news service reported.

Commission head Togar Manahan Nero said that Bambang must take
most of the blame for Persebaya's decision to abandon their
campaign while the competition was still underway.

"Bambang is liable to maximum punishment as stated in article
27," Togar said.

PSSI has already handed the Surabaya club a two-year ban and
Rp 25 million fine.

With one point from two matches, Persebaya, who were in the
Western Group with Persija, PSM Makassar and PSIS Semarang,
refused to play their final match against Persija after alleging
biased refereeing and match-fixing.

Bambang also complained that dozens of the team's notoriously
unruly supporters had gone missing.

With all four teams close in the standings, the pullout
effectively ended the chances of PSIS and PSM advancing.

Persija from Jakarta were defeated in last Sunday's final by
Persipura Jayapura, who advanced to the final after winning the
other four-team Eastern Group competition.

Bambang was not present during the proceedings of the
disciplinary commission. He sent a sealed letter in which he
reportedly said the pullout was his decision and no other team
officials were involved.

Team manager Saleh Mukadar and executive chairman H. Susanto
were spared punishment, with Togar saying PSSI was only seeking
the linchpin in the decision to withdraw.