An Indonesian fan at protests staged at PSSI headquarters in Jakarta last week. (Source: JoniMetal) March 1, 2011
(WFI) Arifin Panigoro, one of the figures at the centre of the Indonesian FA (PSSI) power struggle, tells INSIDER that he believes FIFA will do the right thing for the country’s football during a series of key meetings in Zurich this week.FIFA’s Associations Committee meets in Zurich today and the Exco tomorrow and on Thursday. It is understood that the ongoing PSSI crisis may be on the agenda of the former committee.
Last week Panigoro and another candidate, George Toisutta, were barred from standing against incumbent PSSI president, Nurdin Halid, a convicted fraudster who has served two custodial sentences in his eight years at the helm.
Many Indonesian football observers believe Panigoro’s exclusion to be politically motivated and it drew large-scale fan protests at the PSSI headquarters in Jakarta. Halid’s criminal past should preclude him from partaking in elections for a senior football administration role.
Last night, as first reported by INSIDER, 83 members of the PSSI staged a no-confidence vote in Nurdin Halid’s leadership.
Speaking to INSIDER before this latest development, Panigoro – who last year founded the breakaway Indonesian Premier League (LPI) for clubs disenchanted with the PSSI’s running of the sport – said that he felt it was “in the interests of FIFA” to take notice of the situation in Indonesia.
“We would like to have the FIFA model of fair play everywhere – in the organisation, in the field, in the game,” Panigoro told INSIDER.
“We need to move from this bad governance. That’s the message. We would like to have a good programme, but at the same time a clean programme.”
Panigoro outlined to INSIDER football’s devastating malaise in the world’s fourth largest country. He said that bad governance had led to huge problems including match fixing and bribery of referees. It had also contributed to the country’s world ranking of 129.
“Nurdin has made lots of mistakes, he doesn’t perform at all,” he said.
“Our national game is so bad. He personally has been two times in prison because of crime.
“For me it is important that we have change not only to improve football performance of Indonesia, but also governance because lots of things have happened [such as] fixing goals, bribing referees.”
He said he remained confident that FIFA would ensure that there were free and fair elections for the PSSI presidency with only credible candidates allowed to stand.
“What we are going to do is issue a statement and plead with FIFA to come to Indonesia to sort this out,” he said.
“At the same I’ll talk to the government to ask them to invite FIFA because we consider it a situation that is farcical.”
Panigoro added that FIFA should have nothing to fear from him, despite his setting up the LPI. The rogue league kicked off in January and includes three former members of the PSSI’s Super League that had grown disenchanted with the status quo and a host of new clubs. He said that the LPI demonstrated the potential of football in Indonesia.
“Our league is in line with what we are doing to change the PSSI committee,” he said.
“To have a good league is very important. Indonesian fans have been very positive. They love to visit [games]. We’ve had very positive response from TV, sponsors, it’s all very good.
“All Super League clubs would love to join us. I’m talking to all of them, they want to join us.
“We need a league who honours good governance.”
from: www.worldfootballinsider.com
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