Soccer body promises to stop the rot

JAKARTA (JP): When Indonesian League soccer's third season kicks off Nov. 17, spectators can look forward to better competition, sportsmanship and sports facilities, the Indonesian Soccer Association promises.

"We realize that during the first and second seasons, the of competition was decreasing while problems occurred more often," the association's secretary-general Nugraha Besoes said on Saturday.

The number of goals scored decreased from 1,408 in the first season to 1,060 in the second, he said. However, Nugraha expects that the number of goals will increase in the league's third season.

As the intensity of play diminished, so did the number of spectators. About 5.2 million people watched the first season matches but only 3.6 million visited stadiums during the second season.

Meanwhile, discipline is becoming more of a problem. during the second season, the association's discipline commission had to solve 38 cases, involving referees, players and spectators, up sharply from the 18 cases the commission examined during the first season.

But this time, the association is better prepared, Nugraha said. This season's competition will be bound by new match rules and better-maintained stadiums.

Facilities are a problem for many soccer clubs, which do not have stadiums appropriate for national-level competition but do not have the funds to renovate them or build new ones.

The third season, which will last until July 1997, will feature 33 teams competing across three divisions.

Antara reported that the western division is composed of Persiraja Banda Aceh, Medan Jaya, Semen Padang, PSBL Bandar Lampung, Persita Tangerang, Persija Central Jakarta, Persijatim East Java, Persikab Bandung regency, MBR Bandung, Persebaya Surabaya and Arema Malang.

The central division consists of PSMS Medan, PSDS Deliserdang, PSP Padang, PSB Bogor, Pelita Jaya, Persib Bandung, PSIS Semarang, Mataram Indocement Yogyakarta, Arseto Solo, Mitra Surabaya and Barito Putra Banjarmasin.

The eastern division comprises Petrokimia Putra Gresik, Asyaabaab SGS Surabaya, Persedikab Kediri, Persema Malang, Gelora Dewata Denpasar, Pusam Samarinda, Pupuk Kaltim Bontang, Persiba Balikpapan, PSM Ujungpandang, Persma Manado and Persipura Jayapura.

Four winners of each divisions will compete in the final round next year.

The association's chairman Azwar Anas is scheduled to open the season officially at a game between Medan Jaya and defending champion MBR Bandung at the Teladan Stadium in Medan, North Sumatra on Nov. 17. (yan)