Soccer league to proceed despite sponsorship doubts
Soccer league to proceed despite sponsorship doubts
JAKARTA (JP): The chairman of the All Indonesian Soccer
Federation Agum Gumelar reiterated on Wednesday that the upcoming
league would kick off as scheduled despite the uncertain
sponsorship situation.
Agum said the federation had earmarked Rp 100 million
(US$14,000) in subsidies for each of the 28 participating clubs,
a quarter of which would be handed over to all the team managers
on Oct. 28.
"As the league opener draws near, we can no longer wait for
our promoter, Star Point, to strike any sponsorship deals," Agum
said.
He declined to unveil the source of the reserved funds to be
disbursed if Hong Kong-based Star Point failed to raise the Rp 6
billion the federation needed to finance the league.
The league's fifth season since the reinstatement of foreign
players in 1994 starts on Nov. 1. A charity match pitting former
champion Persebaya of Surabaya against Persib Bandung at Senayan
Stadium will raise the curtain for the league on Sunday.
If things go as planned the league will finish by March 21,
1999.
The federation has decided to allow the clubs to seek their
own sponsors after Star Point failed to convince the soccer body
that it could find the desperately needed sponsors in time.
"They (Star Point) last told us they were negotiating a deal
with Mild Seven cigarette company as the league's major sponsor.
But it will take time, while all the time the league is drawing
nearer," Agum said.
Star Point has said the sponsorship deal could be signed in
mid November.
All clubs have complained about financial shortages caused by
the prolonged economic crisis, with some of them sending foreign
players home.
Agum said the league would not adversely affect the
forthcoming special session of the People's Consultative Assembly
which is scheduled to take place from Nov. 10 to Nov. 13.
"We have estimated all possible consequences of allowing the
league to go ahead in such an uncertain situation.
"If riots break out, we will find out how well the security
authorities can handle them. I'm prepared to help them if
necessary," said Agum, who is a lieutenant general and governor
of the National Resilience Institute.
The federation stopped the last league prematurely in May due
to security concerns.
"The league will serve as a test for Indonesian people, to see
whether they are mature enough to separate sports from politics,"
Agum said. (yan)