PSSI seeks sponsors for Ligina c'ships

PSSI seeks sponsors for Ligina c'ships

JAKARTA (JP): The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) is
having difficulty finding sponsors for the upcoming Indonesian
League (Ligina), which will kick off its sixth season in
November.

Outgoing PSSI secretary-general Nugraha Besoes said on
Saturday a number of multinational corporations which sponsored
the league in the past withdrew their support due to uncertain
political circumstances, which could make it difficult to hold
soccer matches.

Nugraha also said past incidents of violence among soccer fans
made companies hesitant to sponsor Ligina.

"No company in the country wants to invest money in Ligina. I
have contacted a number of sports promoters in an effort to find
sponsors, but the results have been disappointing. We can't
assure people that the matches will proceed without incident.

"If there is a mass rally during a match, I am sure that
security officials will cancel later matches and revoke our
permit to hold matches," he said after attending a meeting with
officials from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). ASEAN is the
acronym for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Outbreaks of violence are not uncommon inside and outside
stadiums during soccer matches across the country.

The number of soccer fans who have died in various incidents
has risen over recent years. Ten PSIS Semarang fans were killed
in separate train accidents in South and East Jakarta in April
this year. These accidents and a number of other incidents forced
PSSI to move the fifth league final between PSIS and Persebaya
Surabaya to Manado, North Sulawesi.

Nugraha also said that due to a lack of financial support,
PSSI decided to allow soccer clubs across the nation raise funds
independently.

Each soccer club requires some Rp 2 billion (US$227,273) to
pay for transportation and accommodation during the seven-month
season.

"Local authorities can help finance and sponsor clubs in their
respective areas. We will continue seeking money to organize the
league, not to finance the participants," he said without
elaborating on how PSSI would raise the funds required to
organize the league.

During the meeting, AFF announced Thailand would host the
third Tiger Cup in November 2000. Ten ASEAN countries will
compete in the Cup.

AFF chairman Tengku Ahmad Rithauddeen said the finals of the
competition would take place in Bangkok, with qualifying rounds
held outside the capital city.

"There will be no prequalifying rounds for this competition,"
he said.

Indonesia was scheduled to host the second Tiger Cup in 1998,
but had to withdraw as host due to security concerns in the
country.

"Indonesia cannot host the 2000 Tiger cup because it is
Thailand's turn," Rithauddeen said.

The last competition was held in Hanoi. Indonesia is now
expecting to host the regional soccer competition in 2002. (ivy)