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View all search resultsBali governor in spotlight over U-20 controversy
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A
s Indonesia faces the possibility of losing its license to host the 2023 U-20 World Cup over calls to bar Israel from participating in the tournament, it is Wayan Koster, governor of the free-spirited resort island Bali, who has been thrust into the spotlight, not right-wing ideologues.
Gianyar, Bali, is one of the six cities set to host the tournament beginning on May 20, and the competition’s group-stage draw was supposed to take place in Denpasar on Friday.
However, the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) announced on Sunday that FIFA had postponed the draw indefinitely, fueling a backlash against calls to block Israel from playing in Indonesia.
“[There is no] diplomatic relationship between the Indonesian government and the Israeli government. [...] We request the minister adopt a policy forbidding the Israeli team from competing in Bali,” Koster wrote in a letter to the Youth and Sports Ministry dated March 14 but made public on March 20.
Senior politician
The Bali governor is an old hand in Indonesian politics, with his membership in the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) stretching back two decades. Koster was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2004 representing the Bali electoral district, where he served a total of three terms until 2018.
