Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali (third from left) opens the the 56th Indonesian Sporthorse Society’s National Horse Racing Championship in Pasuruan District, East Java Province, on Sunday (October 9, 2022). (ANTARA/HO-Youth and Sports Ministry/uyu)

I will convey this (the aspirations to PSSI). However, the decision is PSSI’s to make.Pasuruan, E Java (ANTARA) – The government could not intervene in the management of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) despite the public having demanded PSSI Chairperson Mochamad Iriawan to step down due to the Kanjuruhan tragedy, an official stated.

"PSSI, which is under the auspices of the international federation of association football FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association), has its own rules, so it will be impossible for the government to intervene," Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali emphasized here on Sunday.

After inaugurating the 56th Indonesian Sporthorse Society’s (Pordasi’s) National Horse Racing Championship, he reminded that FIFA had imposed sanctions on Indonesia in 2015 due to the government’s intervention in the management of PSSI.

The world football governing body had sanctioned Indonesia on May 30, 2015, by revoking the membership of PSSI, so all Indonesian national teams and clubs could not partake in international competitions held under the auspices of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for almost a year.

“I do not want that to happen again,” the minister remarked.

Nonetheless, the government allows the people to express their aspirations, including asking the PSSI chief to resign, he stated.

"I will convey this (the aspirations to PSSI). However, the decision is PSSI’s to make," he stated.

Related news: KPAI offers public complaint service for victims of Kanjuruhan tragedy

Furthermore, regarding the continuation of the Liga 1 — the highest professional soccer league in Indonesia — which was suspended for an indefinite period of time after the Kanjuruhan tragedy, Amali stated that the joint independent fact-finding team (TGIPF) is striving to investigate the incident within a month, so the competition can be resumed as soon as possible.

"The president (Joko Widodo or Jokowi) had also ordered me to evaluate it (the implementation of the tournament) completely," he added.

Earlier, the Youth and Sports Ministry had held a meeting with various stakeholders, including PSSI, managements of soccer clubs, several supporter associations, the police, Home Affairs Ministry, as well as Health Ministry to discuss about the president’s order.

"The president gave (the TGIPF) one month to complete the probe of the Kanjuruhan tragedy. However, Head of TGIPF Mahfud MD asked that we (the team) should complete it before the deadline," the minister stated.

Meanwhile, regarding the establishment of a soccer transformation team initiated by FIFA and the Indonesian government to make the development of football in Indonesia better after the Kanjuruhan stampede, the minister conveyed that his side was still awaiting directives from President Jokowi.

Related news: 36 injured in Kanjuruhan stampede still hospitalized: police

Translator: Abdul H, Hanif N, Uyu LEditor: Rahmad Nasution Copyright © ANTARA 2022