In the recent past, interference in Indonesian politics by businessmen or interference in Indonesian businesses by politicians (the difference is confusingly subtle) resulted in the replacement of our then well-respected finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati from the Cabinet on the pretext of the Bank Century scandal. Now, at the height of soccer fever in Indonesia, the interference of politicians has also resulted in a disappointing performance by the national team.

Indonesia has entered its fourth AFF Cup final. Instead of focusing on centralized training, the national team was requested to conduct various activities not related to soccer, such as dinners, praying together and meeting leaders and politicians. A centralized training period should be dedicated to training, practice and observing strict diets. Attending social events or non-soccer related activities obviously breaches professional sports routine. Lost concentration on the field and off has resulted in a major setback for national team as Indonesia was soundly defeated 3-0 by Malaysia.

It seems we Indonesians have a tendency to celebrate too early. When nationalistic fervor is linked to victories on the soccer field, it becomes a golden opportunity for celebrities and politicians to boost their popular image. It is very annoying to see sportsmen treated as political commodities. Leaders of political parties and high-ranking government officials vie for a spot in celebrity columns to tout their role in the success of the national team. From the news, even before the final, the country’s top leader claimed the recent success of the national team in the AFF Suzuki Cup was the result of the hard work of the soccer congress conducted in March 2010 in East Java.

It is easier to claim that the success came through the congress rather than real improvements in soccer infrastructure. The sport’s executive committee cannot even organize a proper ticketing system.

If someone claims we excelled in soccer relative to creating a proper system and economic wealth, it is because some politicians and leaders have taken the easy road. As a nation, we have refused to tackle the more important issues of a better domestic league, leadership problems in the PSSI (Indonesian Football Association) and youth development in the game.

A lot of political leaders have chosen to embrace soccer because it gives an immediate payoff. No wonder politicians are racing to give land and prizes for medals. Here is an explanation of why politicians use soccer as a platform for promotion: When the national team excels, all Indonesians derive a benefit from it instantly. The cost to politicians in providing this facility is not dependent on how many Indonesians are proud and happy of the success of the team. The cost of giving a present or sponsoring the team is not dependent on the size of the population. In contrast, the cost of arranging a proper domestic league, the cost of arranging a proper ticketing system, the cost of building stadiums and the cost of ensuring the health and welfare of all soccer players is very dependent on how large the population is.

Therefore, giving instant rewards to national team players gives political leaders higher value per rupiah.

These politicians try to claim the easy route instead of really improving the soccer infrastructure. I would not underestimate the importance of the national team’s popularity in this country. But my heart sinks when I see how the players are being treated like commodities by politicians.

More and more people like me feel the danger of having the top leadership of soccer — and sports in general — controlled by politicians. Sadly enough, Indonesian soccer has become a platform for politicians who act like comedians to get popular support.

I beg our media to also stop the propaganda, the shameful propaganda used by political leaders to garnish their image. We cannot close our eyes to the fact that some media outlets are also controlled by politicians. It was sickening to see how one TV station controlled by a politician asked irrelevant questions to national team players during their flight to Malaysia.

As a silent majority, the citizens are also culpable. We need to encourage our best and brightest to lead the national soccer team. We cannot bemoan the quality of the team and yet let political leaders lead the governance of the national team. Let’s also depoliticize the task of rebuilding the game’s governing body.

Setbacks and losses are inevitable and essential if Indonesia wants to improve and become a great soccer nation. The importance is how to avoid catastrophic loses and confidence at key moments such as this. I hate to see the politicians and leaders act like losers.

Having lost the first game of the final to Malaysia, I think our chances do not looking great, but I believe the only way to fail is to just not to try. Now is a golden moment for the national team to rebuild the confidence and win the second leg and the tournament. It is also time for the PSSI to get its act together and depoliticize Indonesian soccer.


The writer is the founder of Independent Research & Advisory Indonesia.

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