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espite the beating to death of Harringga Sirila, 23, a fan of Persija Jakarta soccer club, allegedly at the hands of rival Persib Bandung fans, known as Bobotoh, the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) has been slow to discuss the matter.

The killing took place shortly before Sunday evening’s Liga 1 soccer match between Persija and Persib at the Gelora Bandung Lautan Api Stadium in Gedebage, Bandung, West Java. Persib won the match 3-2.

Nevertheless, it took nearly 24 hours for PSSI chairman Edy Rahmayadi to make a comment on the young fan’s murder, although Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi had demanded an explanation from the federation early on Monday.

In an interview with Kompas TV on Monday evening, Edy vowed that Harringga’s death would be the last in a vicious cycle of violence among certain groups of soccer supporters. He also claimed the PSSI had done a lot to end the violence surrounding the sport.

“We have summoned representatives of Jakmania [Persija fans] and Bobotoh several times. We even postponed this match twice,” he said. Edy, PSSI chairman since 2016, also said that he had sent his condolences to the victim’s family and he lambasted the individuals involved in the crime.

Separately, PSSI vice chairman Joko Driyono confirmed to The Jakarta Post that the association had yet to decide on any sanctions against Persib over the tragedy. The PSSI would hold an executive committee meeting on Tuesday afternoon to address the issue, he added.

Harringga’s death is the 70th death related to soccer violence since 1995, the NGO Save Our Soccer has recorded.

The rivalry between Jakmania and Bobotoh is believed to have started in the early 2000s over a trivial matter. One of the key moments took place in 2003 when both Jakmania and Bobotoh members participated in a TV game show entitled Siapa Berani (I Dare You). Jakmania lost the game show, which triggered a clash with Persib fans.

The conflict between the two sets of fans has claimed the lives of four Bobotoh and three Jakmania members so far.

A Persib supporter who requested anonymity confirmed to the Post that Persib supporters had intercepted spectators seeking to enter the stadium to check their IDs. Haringga had a Jakarta ID, so he was chased and then beaten to death. The Bandung Police had arrested 16 people as of Monday afternoon and named eight of them suspects.

At a meeting on Monday involving representatives of the sports ministry, the Indonesian Professional Sports Body (BOPI), Persija and the PSSI, the association was urged to take immediate action.

One of the meeting’s recommendations was the suspension of the country’s premier league for a week, which would allow the association to find some form of quick resolution. The meeting recommended the suspension begin on Tuesday.

The league’s operator, PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB), has the authority to act on the recommendation.

“We hope the PSSI and PT LIB will agree to suspend the league for week while the case is being examined,” said BOPI chief Richard Sam Bera. “If the PSSI and PT LIB fail to resolve the issue within a week, we recommend they continue the suspension [until they do so].”

Richard went on to say that he urged all clubs in the country to be more active in dealing with their fans to prevent a repeat of such tragedies in the future.

Meanwhile, Persib manager Umuh Muchtar expressed his regrets about the death.

Haringga’s sister Mayrisa Sirawati remembered her brother as “fun and easily sociable,” but also a soccer fanatic who often watched Persija matches despite repeated warnings from his parents. (nor)