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Fans, expert OK with soccer league postponement, warn of consequences of further delay
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Signage of Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI). (Kompas.com/Kompas.com)
D
espite the National Police’s decision not to issue a permit for Indonesia’s top-tier and second-tier soccer leagues, Liga 1 and 2, to resume on Thursday, a sport expert and a fan coordinator said they were fine with the move but expected strict health protocols to safeguard all soccer stakeholders once the leagues kicked off.
“This hasn’t been an easy decision for all soccer stakeholders to digest, but given the escalating COVID-19 pandemic, we must prioritize people’s lives. Hopefully, we all can see the leagues play again in November,” Djoko Pekik Irianto, a sports expert from Yogyakarta State University, told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
He then expected the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) and organizers to use the time to perfect a strict health protocol in order to safeguard all soccer stakeholders, including spectators if they are allowed to come to stadiums, prior, during and after the leagues, once they start.
“Pak Iwan could use his influence as a retired police general to talk some sense into former colleagues to allow the leagues to restart in November, but in return he must be all-out in implementing strict health protocol,” Djoko said, referring to PSSI chief Comr. Gen. (ret) Mohammad Iriawan.
He acknowledged that disciplined behavior had never been the soccer community’s forte, but said there was no option but to resume the leagues once the situation was favorable.
“There will be a tough call to make, as discipline has never been our people’s strength, but we need to try for the sake of all soccer stakeholders,” Djoko said.
The coordinator of the Indonesian National Team Spectators Association, Ignatius Indro, on the other hand, appeared convinced that soccer fans could be taught some discipline as part of the health protocol, as long as the protocol was properly communicated.
