LPI gets PSSI blessing, refuses to be ranked below ISL

The Indonesian Premier League (LPI) will no longer be considered a rogue league after LPI officials met with the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) Normalization Committee representatives Friday, but LPI officials don’t want the league ranked below the PSSI-sanctioned Indonesian Super League (ISL).

“It would be stupid to place the LPI one level below the ISL,” the chairman of LPI side Persebaya 1927, Saleh Ismail Mukadar, was quoted as saying Sunday by news portal tribunnews.com.

He said the LPI had met all requirements to be a professional competition and that all participating clubs were professional.

“The LPI has independent funding and the clubs have home bases, development units and are not amateur sides,” Saleh said.

The ISL is the PSSI’s top-ranked soccer league.