Indonesia officials do not fear FIFA ban
Reuters - Thursday 03 March 2011, 09:20
JAKARTA, March 3 (Reuters) - Indonesian officials have no
fears of punishment from FIFA over alleged government
interference into the management of the country's football federation (PSSI).
A senior PSSI official told Thursday's Jakarta Post, football's governing body was unlikely to impose sanctions amid an
embarrassing election crisis at the PSSI.
The PSSI's deputy secretary general Suryadharma Tahir said
he had met FIFA officials after protests calling for current FA
chief Nurdin Halid to be dismissed had turned violent.
The demonstrations followed last week's PSSI decision to
prevent oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro and Army Chief of Staff
General George Toisutta from standing against Nurdin.
The deeply unpopular Nurdin is seeking a third term as
president.
Tahir said FIFA had called for the PSSI to put their house
in order.
"I have told FIFA that the PSSI would repeat the selection
process from the start," he told Metro TV.
"We have come to an understanding on this," he added,
insisting FIFA would accordingly reject the option of punishing
the PSSI.
The Indonesia government has been accused of interfering in
PSSI business, something FIFA traditionally takes a dim view of.
According to Tahir, FIFA criticised Indonesian Youth and
Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng last week for "intervening" in
the upcoming election.
Andi had condemned the PSSI for certifying only the
application of Nurdin, who has thrown his hat into the ring for
the 2011-15 term.
Angry Indonesian football fans have called for Nurdin to be
ousted and he was summoned to the country's House of
Representatives to answer charges of a lack of progress in his
two terms in office.
Andi has said he was willing to speak to FIFA directly to
clarify any perceived governmental meddling into PSSI affairs.