PSSI measures force teams to play without spectators
PSSI measures force teams to play without spectators
JAKARTA (JP): All spectators and reporters will be barred from
watching the next league matches of both Yogyakarta's PSIM and
Surabaya's Persebaya, the All Indonesia Football Federation
(PSSI) announced on Saturday.
"Not just spectators but reporters too will have to stay out.
However, results will be made available right after the matches,"
Max Boboy, the league's match administrator, told reporters.
He was quoted by Kompas yesterday saying that the PSSI
disciplinary commission would formally notify both PSIM and
Persebaya about the decision today.
According to Boboy, each team will be allowed to bring 19
players and six officials plus a referee, two linesmen, match
inspectors, security guards, a medical team and the match
administration committee which he chairs.
The decision is one of the disciplinary measures imposed by
PSSI on the two teams, whose fans were recently involved in a
riot which led to the death of Persebaya supporter Suhermansyah
during their match in Yogyakarta, PSIM's home base, on Jan. 28.
The announcement serves as a reinforcement for a previous
punishment and requires them to play their first home matches 200
kilometers away from their bases when the Indonesian soccer
league resumes after the end of the fasting month in March.
If everything goes on according to the PSSI schedule, empty
seats will witness PSIM taking on South Sulawesi's PSM Ujung
Pandang in the Lebak Bulus stadium in South Jakarta on March 12,
at 3.30 p.m. and Persebaya facing home rivals Mitra Surabaya on
March 15 in the Citarum stadium in Semarang, Central Java,
scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m.
The announcement, however, has sparked debate among the
involved parties. Firstly for financial reasons and secondly for
regional pride, both Mitra Surabaya and Persebaya wanted the
match to be held in Jember, East Java, which is much nearer to
their bases in Surabaya.
"If the public is barred from watching the game, what's the
point of requiring us playing in a place as far as Semarang?"
Persebaya's secretary Paul Tahalele was quoted as saying by Jawa
Pos yesterday. Tahalele added Persebaya would send a team to
formally bargain with PSSI about the location.
Given that Mitra is scheduled to challenge their other home
rivals, Assyaabaab SGS, at home on March 19, four days after it
takes on Persebaya, the traveling might affect the players'
stamina, Mitra's spokesman, Agil Ali, was reported by Antara as
saying on Saturday. Ali also suggested spectators be allowed to
watch the match for free.
PSIM, according to a report in the Jawa Pos, said it actually
preferred to play in closer cities such as West Java's Cimahi or
Cirebon, but that it would not protest the decision. (arf)