PSSI to set up special team to screen players for drugs
PSSI to set up special team to screen players for drugs
JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Soccer Association of Indonesia
(PSSI) Agum Gumelar said Saturday he would set up a special team
to monitor soccer players to prevent them from using illegal
drugs.
Agum's remark came after reports that the late Eri Irianto, a
top player from Persebaya club in Surabaya, did not die of heart
failure after his last match earlier this month as announced by
the club physician.
Persebaya's manager Karwoto was quoted by local media as
saying on Friday that Eri had no history of heart problems in his
medical report. Karwoto also refused to comment on whether Eri
had taken illegal drugs that might have caused his death.
He said he was waiting for verification from a medical team at
Dr. Sutomo General Hospital in Surabaya, where Eri received
medical treatment hours before he passed away.
Agum said that the special team would be headed by Sonny
Tobing, who chaired PSSI's health commission.
"We want to prevent any similar occurrences from happening in
the future. The team will investigate and examine whether our
soccer players are taking illegal drugs or banned substances."
"If we find any player who do so, we will try to settle the
matter and we won't kill his career in sports," Agum said after
competing in the local SIWO PWI-Jaya Bank Mandiri inter-
publication tournament at Lebak Bulus stadium, South Jakarta.
Eri was reportedly suffering breathing difficulty after he
crashed with an unidentified player from PSIM Yogyakarta on April
2 in Bank Mandiri national soccer league action at Gelora 10
November stadium in Surabaya.
He then suffered breathing difficulty and was rushed to the
emergency ward of Dr. Sutomo hospital but he was pronounced dead
early on Monday. He was diagnosed as suffering from a heart
attack.
Upon hearing the information, PSSI secretary general Tri
Goestoro immediately flew to Surabaya to express condolence and
to probe the cause of Eri's death. Tri remained tight-lipped over
the probe's result.
Agum said the team would also investigate Eri's case and
another case that happened to Kuncoro, a player from PSM Makassar
in South Sulawesi who reportedly lost consciousness when his team
played Petro Kimia Gresik earlier this month.
He expressed regret over the two incidents, saying that the
team also would investigate the cases.
"We have to find the main cause of the cases," he said.
He did not rule out the possibility that the two might have
taken illegal drugs.
"I know that some players used drugs other than those being
prescribed by their medics. Take Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto as an
example. He has a habit of taking traditional herbal medicine to
strengthen his physical stamina. But these medicines are not
illegal" he said.
Kurniawan, Indonesia's top striker who plays for PSM, was
banned from competing in the 1999 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in
Brunei Darussalam after he failed the drug test.
Agum said that the team's investigation would not be limited
only to doping tests.
"Doping tests are only conducted before a competition and
during special training programs. It is randomly undertaken," he
said.
In Saturday's final match, Agum's team, Old Star Tunas Jaya,
beat Bola sports tabloid 6-1. Media Go sports tabloid finished
third after defeating Suara Pembaruan evening daily team 8-
2.(ivy)