Soccer referee burns FIFA certificates to protest ban

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)