Sport council warns of possible penalties for PSSI

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Tue, 11/06/2007 5:10 PM

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

National Sports Council (KON) has said the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) might face multiple sanctions both from the world's soccer ruling body FIFA or KON itself over the PSSI's reluctance to settle its leadership problem relating to incumbent chairman Nurdin Halid, who is in jail for graft.

KON chairwoman Rita Subowo said Monday that the council would consider freezing the PSSI should the association receive sanctions from FIFA.

""Revised statutes agreed upon during the meeting here in July stipulate that the council will rule out any sport associations receiving international sanctions,"" she told reporters at the council's headquarters.

""In the PSSI's case, we will have no other choice but freeze the association should FIFA decide to impose sanctions on the PSSI. If they are not recognized by the international federation, then we have to freeze the organization, too.""

Rita said KON would take action similar to that imposed on the Indonesian Hockey Association, which was banned in January after a prolonged dispute over leadership in the organization.

FIFA told the PSSI early last week to hold a new election for chairman since Nurdin, who was reelected to the position in April, was not eligible to run in the election as he had been sentenced to two years in jail for corruption.

But the PSSI refused to hold a new election, saying that the matter had been discussed during a regional meeting with the Asian Football Confederation in July. The PSSI said that FIFA had officially given the authority to the AFC to solve the matter.

It has also said Nurdin will be allowed to run the organization from behind bars with the help of acting chairman Nirwan D. Bakrie as well as the newly elected executive committee board. Nurdin has refused to step down amid mounting calls from soccer fans and observers for to quit the position.

The PSSI sent its delegation, led by Nirwan, to AFC headquarters in Kuala Lumpur on Monday to discuss the issue with AFC President Mohamed bin Hammam.

During the meeting, Hammam said the PSSI had to revise its statutes.

""The statutes of PSSI must be changed to suit what is being requested,"" Hammam was quoted as saying in a statement on the AFC's official Web site.

The delegation also heard the AFC's advice concerning the necessary amendments to the statutes.

""The PSSI confirmed that they are setting up a special team to deal with the amendments to their statutes to fall in line with the FIFA statutes,"" it said.

The statement, however, did not address the issue of a new election as required earlier by FIFA.

KON is scheduled to follow up the results of the AFC talks with a PSSI delegate on Tuesday.

""I don't want to further comment on this issue ... But, if there is no new recommendation from the (AFC) talks, I think the PSSI must abide by FIFA's ruling,"" Rita said.

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