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A tarnished gold
The PSSI should refrain from protecting those involved in the scuffle or sweeping the humiliating incident under the rug in the name of our national soccer pride. Failure to take disciplinary action would further jeopardize the association’s already fragile international reputation.
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Indonesia's Marselino Ferdinan (center) shoots past Thailand's Chayapipat Supunpasuch (left) during the men's football final match at the 32nd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh on May 16. (AFP/Mohd Rasfan)
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fter 32 years of waiting, Indonesia has finally won the coveted gold medal in soccer at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Not only was the historic win managed against archrival and red-hot favorite Thailand, it was also achieved by a convincing margin, with the Indonesian lads netting five goals, including three in extra time, in a brawl-marred final at the Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh on Tuesday evening.
The achievement, however, should by no means be the final goal for a nation that is home to millions of soccer fans and a wealth of talent. The SEA Games glory should instead mark the start of Indonesia’s bid to build a team worthy of a ticket to the sport’s most prestigious tournament, the FIFA World Cup, which has seen Europe and Latin America reign supreme throughout its history.
Kudos to the coaching squad for molding a winning team in only two months, as well as to all the supporting staff and Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) officials for their hard work with little fanfare. Their dedication paid off and will go some way toward making amends for Indonesia’s last-minute loss of its right to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup in March, after several host governors refused to accommodate the Israeli team.
The only blemishes on the country’s triumphant run at the SEA Games soccer competition were the scuffles between players and officials of the two finalist teams. The referee, Qasim Matar Ali Al Hatmi, gave out six red cards, including to Indonesian defender Komang Teguh and Thai goalkeeper Soponwit Rakyart for their involvement in the encounters. Two Thai officials were also sent off for attacking their Indonesian counterparts and two more Thai players for a second affray late in the match.
The Thailand Football Association immediately apologized for the incident, saying it would investigate the causes and would punish those involved. The Asian Football Confederation also expressed disappointment with the tainted gold medal match and said it would launch a probe into the blatant violations of sportsmanship.
The PSSI should follow suit if it is committed to upholding the values that have long been in place in sports. The euphoria of victory is expected to climax today as the winning team parades the gold medal from Jakarta’s Gelora Bung Karno sports complex to the State Palace.
Hopefully, after the celebration, the PSSI can shift its focus to investigating the possible roles of Indonesian players and officials in the brawls during the final. The fights would have not broken out had the Indonesian side maintained its composure, and video footage shows an Indonesian player starting one of the fights in an apparent response to the provocation of a Thai official.
The PSSI should refrain from protecting those involved in the scuffle or sweeping the humiliating incident under the rug in the name of our national soccer pride. Failure to take disciplinary action would further jeopardize the association’s already fragile international reputation, just after it promised major changes under its new leader Erick Thohir.
The exchanges of punches and kicks that interrupted the final match have, however, taught the young Indonesian squad a lesson, that they will undermine their soccer careers if they succumb so easily to the psychological goading of their rivals.
While the national team still has to improve its maturity, it has demonstrated technical skills and fighting spirit sufficient for it to claim a perfect, six-for-six record in this year’s SEA Games. The achievement is unprecedented in Indonesia’s history at the SEA Games, even outshining the performance of the country’s 1991 gold medal team.
The soccer triumph is a precious consolation for Indonesia, which finished third overall in this year’s SEA Games, lower than the target of second place set by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo. The medal’s stain has not debased our historic soccer gold.
