Indonesia to lift suspension on soccer association (updated)
Xinhua, May 10, 2016 Adjust font size:
Indonesian sport ministry is to lift suspension on the country's football association, or PSSI, before the FIFA congress on May 13, allowing termination of FIFA's sanction on the PSSI, Sport Minister Imam Nahrawi said here on Tuesday.
"The lifting of the suspension is confirmed, but we only consider the precise time before May 13th," Minister Nahrawi said at the State Palace.
FIFA, soccer's world governing body, has sent a letter to the Indonesian government to terminate sanction against the PSSI before its congress in Mexico, or the international body will not end its sanction on the PSSI.
The FIFA's sanction has barred the Indonesian soccer association from participating in several international events such as qualification for the World Cup and the Asia Cup.
Minister Nahrawi stressed that FIFA encourages improvement and a reform on the country's football association.
Indonesian sport ministry froze the PSSI in April 2015 due to its violation against the government regulations on football league.
The decision led to a crisis on the national football as the FIFA also froze the PSSI from participating on international events.
The FIFA issued the sanction on the ground that the government had intervened into the internal affairs of the PSSI. Endit