PSSi drops Asian Games 2002 bid
Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) has brought to an end the polemics over its much-questioned demand, for a 2002 Asian Games spot with the Indonesian contingent, after its chief Agum Gumelar announced on Wednesday that a national soccer team would not go to Pusan next year.
"I say PSSI will not send a team to the Asian Games. If previous developments looked as if we had somehow insisted (on going), that's only the media blowing it out (of proportion)," Agum told reporters after a meeting with soccer officials here.
The continent's biggest multi-event sporting showcase will take place in Pusan, South Korea, from Sept. 29 to Oct. 14, 2002. KONI, the Indonesian sports council, has tentatively reserved places for as many as 150 athletes in 20 events but excluded the soccer squad.
PSSI's hopes were raised after the shooting and archery organizations decided not to go. The shooting body said it did not have enough top-class athletes, while the archery organization expressed pessimism over its medal prospects.
The exclusion of the soccer team has triggered a somewhat heated debate in the media, with PSSI demanding that it be given a chance to compete, as soccer is one of the nation's most popular sports.
Meanwhile, Imron ZS, a top official of KONI currently assigned to supervise athlete training, appeared to be firm in his 'no go' stance, saying that the national soccer team was not eligible for a Korean trip because it failed to meet certain criteria after its mediocre showing at the recent SEA Games in Kuala Lumpur in addition to the Asian soccer rankings and access to the Olympics Solidarity program.
"As far as I'm concerned in my capacity as the training director, soccer apparently falls out of the corridor I'm supposed to walk through in the team selection policy," Imron said.
Even when his boss Wismoyo Arismunandar signaled a green light for PSSI to be given an entry through the back door, he did not appear to be held back.
Agum said on Wednesday that controversies had risen particularly by his cautious statement over a warning from AFC, the Asian soccer governing body, that PSSI, which has been absent from the last three Asian Games, might be penalized for failing to dispatch a team to the event yet again.
"I simply passed on the AFC's warning to KONI. I did not ask KONI to send a soccer team to the Asian Games," Agum said.
Agum, who is also the Minister of Transportation, said that PSSI's decision not to go to Pusan was final, citing lack of financial support needed for training.