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)