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)