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Indonesian football competition at cross road as gov't freezes nat' l association

Xinhua, April 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

The annual football competition in Indonesia is at crossroad at the moment following government's decision to freeze activities of Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) due to disputed sponsorship in the competition.

Indonesian Sports and Youths Minister Imam Nachrowi froze the operation of PSSI on April 17 after his office sniffed irregularities related to the new sponsorship and how the competition was organized by a firm controlled by the PSSI, PT Liga Indonesia.

With the new sponsor, the name of Indonesian football completion was changed to QNB (Qatar National Bank) League, from the previous Indonesian Super League (ISL).

Besides lack of transparency, the minister's office learned that two of the 18 football clubs participating in the QNB league were not legally-complied with the existing regulations.

With the freezing of PSSI operation, all matches under QNB League contending Indonesian premier clubs scheduled throughout this year was stopped.

To save national football competition, Minister Nachrowi held a meeting with representatives of 16 clubs and officials of the firm that runs national football competition, Indonesia League, and officials of Indonesian Professional Sports Agency (BOPI).

During the meeting the minister demanded PT Liga Indonesia to apply transparent financial management, particularly in the distribution of commercial rights for the football clubs and the players.

"The firm must be able to explain how and when the rights of the clubs will be paid. It must be fit to the schedules," the minister said.

The meeting failed to gain a solution on how the competition should be conducted. Further meetings between the minister, the competition organizer and the clubs would be conducted in days to figure out the proper ways to organize national football competition.

Financial issues have commonly became serious problems faced by Indonesian football clubs. Earlier reports said players of several clubs did not receive salaries for months due to financial problems in their clubs. Endi