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Jokowi establishes FIFA U-20 World Cup organizing committee to expedite preparations
The U-20 soccer World Cup is to be held from May 20 to June 12 next year in six provinces across Indonesia.
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The Si Jalak Harupat soccer stadium in Soreang, Bandung regency, West Java is among stadiums inspected by Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chief Comr. Gen. M. Iriawan as part of preparations for the U-20 World Cup slated to be held in six provinces across Indonesia in 2021. (Antaranews/Bagus Ahmad Rizaldi)
P
resident Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has established the FIFA U-20 World Cup Organizing Committee (INAFOC) for the 2021 U-20 Soccer World Cup, which Indonesia will host for the first time.
The establishment of the national committee is stipulated in Presidential Decree No.19/2020 issued by the President on Tuesday.
The INAFOC comprises two divisions, namely the directing/steering committee led by Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy and the organizing committee chaired by Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali.
Jokowi also appointed Public Works and Housing Minister Basuki Hadimuljono as the head of the facilities and infrastructure division and Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chief M. Iriawan as the achievement department head of the national soccer team.
Besides the decree, Jokowi also issued on Tuesday Presidential Instruction No.8/2020 urging relevant ministries and other government institutions to accelerate preparations for the 2021 U-20 Soccer World Cup.
"I hope with the issuance of the presidential instruction, our preparations would go smoother," Zainudin said on Thursday as reported by kompas.com.
Read also: FIFA approves six stadiums in Java, Bali for U-20 World Cup
"We will start very soon. I'll survey the venues in the near future," he added.
The U-20 soccer World Cup is to be held from May 20 to June 12 next year in six provinces across Indonesia.
Six stadiums will be used as venues to host the matches, namely Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java; Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, East Java; and Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Gianyar, Bali; Sriwijaya Stadium in Palembang; South Sumatra and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, West Java.
President Jokowi has ordered for the venues to be renovated prior to the three-week competition. He also requested that several other stadiums in the six provinces be renovated as well to be used as training grounds for participants.
Zainudin signed on Thursday a memorandum of understanding with the head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, Doni Monardo, to ensure the event was carried out in accordance with the health protocols to curb the spread of COVID-19.
He said FIFA had not yet informed of any changes to the schedule for the U-20 World Cup but asserted that Indonesia would be prepared nonetheless. (nal)
