PSSI to start `Liga Indonesia' in November despite criticism
PSSI to start `Liga Indonesia' in November despite criticism
JAKARTA (JP): In a move to end a recent debate, the All
Indonesia Football Federation (PSSI) launched Liga Indonesia as
the country's sole soccer league yesterday and vowed to start it
up next November.
The new semiprofessional league, which will be open to foreign
booters, will encompass 33 football clubs in its first division
-- perhaps the biggest number of clubs in a soccer league in the
world.
Soccer is the most popular sport among Indonesia's 180 million
people although the country does not have much of an
international reputation.
"We reached this decision and all of us have agreed to revamp
the football system to develop competition," said PSSI's chairman
Azwar Anas, who is also Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare.
PSSI officials have been in the middle of an emotional debate
over whether there should only be one PSSI league.
The opponents of a single Liga Indonesia argued that the
existing system, consisting of the semi-pro Galatama and the
amateur Perserikatan (inter-city), are so popular that the new
idea is not attainable.
In contrast, the proponents of the new league, believe that
the procedures of the two leagues and their divisions are just
too complicated.
Liga Indonesia is a melting point of all the 17 clubs
registered in the Galatama league, 16 of the primary division
teams in the Perserikatan league and 16 teams of the latter's
first division.
The semiprofessional league was introduced in 1979 by former
Jakarta Governor Ali Sadikin, and allowed imported players. PSSI
then banned foreign players in the late 1980s, saying that they
adversely affected the local talents.
However, the decision cost the league popularity.
During yesterday's press conference, Syarnoebi Said, one of
PSSI's senior officials, told journalists that the new league
created a fresh opportunity for Indonesian clubs to revamp their
quality and reputation.
The Galatama league were known to be a vicious arena of
bookmakers rather than qualified soccer players. (hdj)