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PSSI officials in Zurich 'to lobby against FIFA sanctions'
The Soccer Association of Indonesiaâs (PSSI) executive members are in Zurich âto lobby world governing body FIFAâ in a desperate effort to head off the threat of suspension on national soccer
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he Soccer Association of Indonesia's (PSSI) executive members are in Zurich 'to lobby world governing body FIFA' in a desperate effort to head off the threat of suspension on national soccer.
'We will try our best to lobby FIFA not to impose sanctions on Indonesia,' PSSI chairman La Nyalla Mattalitti told The Jakarta Post via telephone from Zurich, Switzerland, on Thursday.
He was in the city to attend the FIFA Congress on May 29, which will elect a new president.
Another purpose of the congress will very likely be to decide on the future of Indonesian soccer in the wake of conflicts between the PSSI and the government that have led to the PSSI's suspension by the Youth and Sports Ministry and brought domestic competitions to a halt.
FIFA has since threatened sanctions unless the row is resolved by the time it holds the congress.
Given current developments, lobbying efforts may have little impact.
According to La Nyalla, during his meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa at the AFC congress in Manama late last month, both soccer executives told him that revoking the PSSI's suspension was a way to avoid sanctions.
The ministry decided to impose a suspension on April 17 after the PSSI refused to disqualify two 'legally flawed' clubs from the Indonesian Super League (ISL) as recommended by the ministry sanctioned Indonesian Professional Sports Body (BOPI).
La Nyalla said that the FIFA suspension, if carried out, would annul Indonesia's participation in FIFA-sanctioned tournaments, including AFC championships and the SEA Games next month in Singapore.
ISL champion Persib Bandung and runner-up Persipura Jayapura are currently playing in the AFC Cup.
Meanwhile, the ministry has said it is also planning to lobby FIFA.
According to the ministry's assistant for development and partnerships, Gatot S. Dewa Broto, they were preparing a team assigned to explain to FIFA about the ministry's reasons behind its suspension of the PSSI.
'We are still awaiting the minister's instructions,' Gatot said from Tehran, where he is part of an Indonesian delegation attending a meeting held by the Asian Olympic Council (OCA), whose agenda includes discussing Indonesia's preparations to host the 2018 Asian Games.
When asked about the ministry's plan, La Nyalla became cynical and said there was no way a team from the ministry would be able to meet FIFA executives.
'FIFA will only talk to its members,' he said.
Meanwhile, the ministry's interim transitional team tasked with managing domestic competitions was reported to have held a meeting on Thursday about its plan to hold the Independence Cup.
On Wednesday, PT Liga Indonesia, the operator of the halted ISL, was forced to discard its plan to kick off a pre-season tournament scheduled next week after it failed to obtain a recommendation from BOPI.
'BOPI told us to get approval from the transitional team first before it could give us a recommendation,' PT Liga Indonesia secretary Tigor Shalomboboy said as quoted by Antara news agency.
PT Liga Indonesia decided to scrap the plan due to 'uncertainties'. The opening match had been scheduled to take place on Tuesday, three days before the FIFA deadline of May 29.
