PSSI sanction complies with rules: Official

PSSI sanction complies with rules: Official

JAKARTA (JP): The Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) is
awaiting PSIS Semarang's appeal of the penalty it imposed on the
club after a melee on the opening day of the new Indonesian
Soccer League (Ligina) season at Jatidiri stadium in Semarang on
Sunday.

The PSSI official in charge of discipline, Andi Darussalam
Tabusala, said on Wednesday the penalty was carefully decided on
by his commission and complied with the association's rules
governing the league.

Andi made his statement after reports on Tuesday that PSIS
Semarang officials would ask the association to move its next two
matches to cities in Central Java rather than to Bima stadium in
Cirebon, West Java.

There will be no spectators allowed for Semarang's matches
against Persipura Jayapura on Jan. 16 and Persma Manado on Jan.
20, which the association ruled would be played in Cirebon. The
penalty was decided on Monday.

PSSI also rescheduled Thursday's match between PSIS and
Persebaya Surabaya for Jan. 27.

The league's defending champion lost 0-2 to visitor Barito
Putra on opening night action of the league's sixth season. Angry
Semerang fans stormed the field after referee Jajat Sudrajat
overruled an apparent goal by PSIS' foreign striker A. Jonnah
Ballah in the 85th minute. Jajat stopped the match early and
awarded the victory to Barito Putra.

"We will wait for their appeal for three days, but my decision
on the penalty was based on chapter 37, paragraph seven of the
league's rules. In point three, it reads that moving games is
allowed when violence occurs during a game ... and the penalty
must be decided on within seven days.

"In point four, the rule stipulates that PSSI decides the new
venue based on recommendations from the disciplinary commission,"
Andi said.

"See, I'm not making all of this up. Besides, how can a
punished team specify the kind of punishment it will receive?"

In a related development, PSIS Semarang chairman Soetjipto
said on Wednesday the PSSI ruling would hurt PSIS and its fans.

"I hope PSSI will be lenient. For example, it can move the
games to Rembang or Purwokerto, both in Central Java. We hope
PSSI will allow soccer fans to watch the matches because the
ticket revenue could relieve our financial troubles," he said in
Semarang.

Soetjipto cited one of the association's old rules, which
stipulated that if games were moved the new venue should be
within 100 kilometers of the original site.

"I will protest PSSI's decision. The sanction does not comply
with their rules. The decision has many weaknesses," he said.

Separately, officials of Persebaya, runner-up in last year's
competition, expressed satisfaction with PSSI's decision to
reschedule its matches with PSIS, Pelita Jaya Solo and Pupuk
Kaltim Bontang.

"We are pleased the three matches will be rescheduled. We
won't get confused arranging our schedule for Ligina and the
Asian Winners Cup competition," Persebaya official in charge of
athlete development Hartono Purnomosidi was quoted by Antara as
saying on Tuesday.

Persebaya will represent Indonesia in the Asian Winners Cup,
and is scheduled to kick off its Cup campaign with a match
against Bangkok Bank in Thailand on Nov. 20.

The club's match against Pelita, which was scheduled for Nov.
18, has been postponed until the end of the first round of the
season. It will take on Pupuk Kaltim on Nov. 25, one day later
than originally scheduled. (har/ivy)