PSSI chief not to mediate player transfer dispute

PSSI chief not to mediate player transfer dispute

JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia
(PSSI) Agum Gumelar said on Tuesday that he had asked the body's
arbitration committee to resolve players' disputes ahead of the
seventh Bank Mandiri soccer league series.

"I will comply with the committee's decision," he said after
briefing the team managers from 28 club across the nation
competing in the league. The series will kick off in Makassar,
South Sulawesi, on Sunday.

The committee, set up in December and headed by M. Djalil
Anwar Pradjarto, is dealing with player transfer disputes
involving Uston Nawawi, Gendut Doni Christiawan and Kuncoro.

The dispute regarding Uston Nawawi, between Persebaya Surabaya
and league defending champions PSM of Makassar, has been a
contentious issue for soccer fans.

Uston ended his contract with Persebaya on Oct. 1, at the end
of the sixth league series. Two months later, he signed a deal
with PSM.

His move angered Persebaya and Uston's family was reportedly
intimidated by furious club supporters, who are well-known for
their violent behavior at matches.

The committee's secretary, Andi Darussalam Tabussala, said on
Tuesday that Uston had agreed to the contract terms, but the
committee requested Persebaya submit additional evidence which
could give strong grounds for a decision allowing them to keep
Uston in the club.

"In chapter one of the contract, it is said that after the
contract is over, both parties, Persebaya's chief Sunarto
Sumoprawiro and Uston, can arrange a contract extension within 30
days. If no agreement can be reached within one month then the
deal ends by itself," he said.

Just when Agum arrived at Tuesday's meeting at Wisma Bidakara
in South Jakarta, about 20 Persebaya supporters staged a rally in
front of the meeting room, demanding the retired four-star
General fire Darussalam.

Agum calmed down the supporters telling them that the
committee had not made a decision regarding Uston. He also said
that Darussalam never informed the media that the committee had
decided to approve Uston as a PSM member.

Agum said that, according to the new rule, Uston was free to
leave if his original club did not ask to use the contract's
option.

In the past, a player who has ended his contract should ask
for a recommendation if he wished to join another club. Under the
new rule, at the expiry of a contract, a player becomes a free
agent.

The committee will also recommend Kuncoro, a PSM Makassar
player sanctioned by PSSI after admitting illegal drug use,
choose another club, as his contract with PSM had expired and he
had not received a salary for the past six months.

Young star Gendut Doni Christiawan, who formerly played for
Persijatim of East Jakarta, has also ended his contract. He had
vowed to join Persijatim, and agreed on the deal but never signed
a contract. He later changed his mind, and wished to join Persija
of Central Jakarta. The committee has still not made a decision.
(ivy)