TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
National Police-run soccer match-fixing squad to include Military Police
Change Size
Indonesian soccer has never been free from match-fixing scams. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he National Police's match-fixing task force is to coordinate with the Indonesian Military Police (POM TNI) to tackle match-fixing practices and monitor recruitment for the Under-20 FIFA World Cup team.
Deputy National Police chief Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy Pramono said the partnership was needed to ensure transparency during the recruitment process for the national soccer team and to prevent match-fixing practices that mired the country’s soccer league.
“We hope our collaboration with POM TNI can strengthen efforts at creating a clean, dignified and highly achieving [Indonesian] soccer scene,” Gatot said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.
Indonesia is gearing up to host the 2021 U-20 soccer World Cup following FIFA’s announcement last year. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo is putting high hopes on the event, saying that the U-20 cup would be “a perfect stage to promote Indonesia.”
Gatot said the match-fixing task force will also coordinate with other stakeholders including local administrations.
“We’ve been working together with the PSSI [Soccer Association of Indonesia] chairman, the youth and sports minister and the management of [soccer] clubs,” he said.
Jakarta Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Yusri Yunus said on Feb. 5 that the task force would also ensure transparency during the national team’s recruitment process for the U-20 World Cup.
“Everything will be transparent. There should not be any undesirable events occurring [during the recruitment process],” he said.
The task force was officially established after National Police chief Gen. Idham Aziz issued a letter ordering the start of an investigation on Feb. 1. It is to operate for the next three months.
A similar task force that was formed in 2019 uncovered a match-fixing scheme in Indonesia's third tier Liga 3 match between Persikasi Bekasi and Perses Sumedang at the end of last year. Six suspects were arrested following the operation. (mpr)
