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Police to dig deeper into PSSI chief’s alleged match fixing
Joko Driyono (JP/Seto Wardhana)The chief of the police’s antimatch-fixing task force, Brig
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Joko Driyono (JP/Seto Wardhana)
The chief of the police’s antimatch-fixing task force, Brig. Gen. Hendro Pandowo, has said the police intend to dig deeper into allegations of Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) acting chief Joko Driyono’s involvement in match fixing through his arrest on Monday.
“The arrest is solely based on our need to find more information from him in relation to his alleged role in match fixing in Banjar Negara,” Hendro told a presser on Monday at the National Police headquarters.
Joko will be held at the National Police’s detention center for the next 20 days for further questioning. The former PSSI secretary-general was named a suspect for his alleged role in masterminding an attempt to destroy evidence at the PSSI’s disciplinary committee office in Kuningan, South Jakarta, in late January.
He was given suspect status following the testimony of Muhammad Mardani Mogot, Musmuliadi and Abdul Gofur, who told the police they had destroyed evidence as ordered by Joko.
Hendro said the police believed there were documents that could link Joko Driyono and Dwi Irianto, members of the disciplinary committee who had been arrested in relation to match fixing in Banjar Negara, among the evidence that had been destroyed.
Gusti Randa, who was named Joko’s replacement, said he was surprised with the arrest. He said he would discuss the matter with the rest of the PSSI’s executive committee first, where he is also a member, before speaking publicly.
Commenting on Joko’s arrest, Youth and Sports Ministry spokesman Gatot S Dewobroto said the police had full authority in the case.
“I praise the police for their determination in this case. I hope this can help the PSSI reform itself,” he told The Jakarta Post.
He said the PSSI’s executive committee should meet with other stakeholders to determine the next step for the organization: electing the new chief and management board.
“Failing to use this opportunity will result in repeating the same mistake all over again,” he said.
Soccer reform activist Akmal Marhali praised the police’s decision to put Joko in jail, saying that it proved no one is above the law.
“The police are going about it the right way. Let us hope that Joko’s arrest won’t be the last and the police can find those responsible for the mess in the PSSI,” he said.
Another activist, Emerson Yuntho, said “Joko is an important figure that could open the door to other important actors [involved in match fixing and other illegal practices].”
The police have named 16 suspects in their investigation, six of whom were arrested. The suspects were named following a police report by former Persebara Banjar Negara FC manager Laksmi Indaryani, who said she had spent more than Rp 1 billion (US$70,477) for her soccer club to win, but it never happened.
