Soccer referee burns FIFA certificates to protest ban

JAKARTA (JP): A soccer referee set fire yesterday to his certificate issued by the world soccer body FIFA at the All- Indonesian Soccer Federation's office in an emotional protest against a 10-year suspension imposed on him for collusive practices.

Sasmuryadi, 40, said the move marked his farewell to a sport he had been involved with for much of his life. The Air Force chief sergeant started to officiate national-level matches two years ago.

"I will turn to boxing," he told journalists who witnessed the burning.

"The federation doesn't need honest people to work with. They only want people who are willing to keep their mouths shut to save the federation's face."

Sasmuryadi destroyed the recently issued FIFA certificate, which was signed by secretary-general of the Asian Football Confederation Peter Velappan, and a certificate issued by the federation in 1995 which bore the signature of its chairman Azwar Anas.

He regretted the federation's decision to refuse to hear his defense and those of the other guilty referees.

Sasmuryadi was one of eight referees who received bans of between seven and 10 years following the federation's bid to restore the nation's soccer pride, which has been tarnished by the match-fixing scandal.

The federation's fact-finding team is expected to target club managers and owners allegedly involved in the scam.

Spokesman for the federation Tondo Widodo also witnessed Sasmuryadi set fire to his certificates, but refused to comment.

In a cynical speech after the certificates were reduced to ashes, Sasmuryadi identified 11 referees "who escape the bans by fortune".

"I know them and how they work, but I only wish them luck and to be careful of further crackdowns," he said, declining to elaborate.

Despite the ban, Sasmuryadi refused to beg for the federation's mercy.

He said he came to the federation office yesterday to ask for reimbursement of transportation expenses worth Rp 3 million (US$300) which he spent while attending a FIFA course in Malaysia early this year.

Sasmuryadi admitted receiving Rp 3 million from an unknown man in a Yogyakarta restaurant to help the home side PSIM beat Barito Putra of South Kalimantan in an Indonesian league match last year.

But he asserted his innocence because the match ended in a goalless draw without his intervention. He said he gave the money to then chairman of the referee commission, Djafar Umar, who has been banned for 20 years and who will face court on corruption charges.

City police have included Sasmuryadi on a list of five referees to be questioned in connection with Djafar's case.

"I'll be glad to be summoned by police so I can explain exactly what happened inside this federation and our soccer world," Sasmuryadi said. (emf)