Mismanagement in Junior Soccer

KOMPAS/DHANANG DAVID ARITONANG

Matador Mekarsari Football School players training in a field in Jonggol, West Java, on Saturday (19/09/2020)

The jubilation of the junior soccer competitions has a sad story behind it. A number of young players were allegedly recruited without receiving their rights.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Behind the festivity of youth soccer competition Elite Pro Academy (EPA), the rights of the young soccer players involved are reportedly not being optimally fulfilled. A Kompas investigation found signs of neglect by the clubs, the absence of official contracts and the neglect of players\' rights to education.

The lack of fulfillment of the rights of these young players involves clubs, soccer schools (SSB), coaches, intermediaries or players\' agents and parents. This is similar to the mismanagement happening in the national soccer scene. Various regulations are implemented as long as there is goodwill from the coach or advisors, because if the rule is violated, there will never be law enforcement.

Abandoned in Samarinda

Three years ago, Soni (not his real name), an 18-year-old soccer player from West Java, was recruited by Borneo FC U-15 through his trainer at a soccer academy (SSB) and then Borneo FC U-15 coach, M Arifin Syafril. Soni was part of the club from June to December 2017. After that, he had to take part in the Borneo FC U-16 selection for the U-16 EPA League. However, during the selection, he suffered a knee injury. The Borneo U-16 coach asked him not to push himself.

Read also: Not Everyone Can Become Professional Players

Soni began to be abandoned because he was no longer part of the Borneo FC U-15 team. He got kicked out of the club’s boarding house. However, because his father still wanted his son to have a career in soccer, Soni stayed in Samarinda to take part in the Borneo FC U-16 selection in the second round of EPA U-16.

During that time, he lived in a shelter for construction workers near his school. For daily meals, he relied on Rp 500,000 (US$34.36) sent by his father every month. The money was also used by Soni to treat his injury. After his father was unable to support Soni, he asked him to come home.

Meanwhile, the U-19 players were under working contracts and got paid.

Syafril acknowledged that while he was in charge of the Borneo FC youth team, there were players from outside Samarinda and all of them were recruited with a contract. The U-16 and U-18 players were under coaching contracts — without a salary — but all their daily needs were fulfilled. Meanwhile, the U-19 players were under working contracts and got paid.

Borneo FC chief media officer Brilian Sanjaya said the Borneo FC EPA were recruited through a selection process, not through an intermediary coach. All players must also be under contract because that was part of the term and conditions of the competition.

Kompas/Hendra A Setyawan

Matador Mekarsari Football School players compete with Bintang Ragunan  Football School players at Ciracas Stadium, Jakarta, on Sunday (26/1/2020).

Joni, also not a real name, 19, was not even under a contract when he joined PS Tira Persikabo U-18. Initially, he participated in the PS Tira selection at a cost of Rp 150,000.

"Passing the selection, there was no contract from the club," said Joni.

He had to bear any additional costs after passing the selection, such as boarding and meals.

The Rp 1.4 million honorarium he earned during his six months at the club was far from sufficient.

"I live in a rented house with two players at a cost of Rp 750,000 per month. For living expenses, [I rely on] the money sent by parents," he said.

PS Tira Persikabo U-18 coach Achmad Zulkifli acknowledged that management had difficulty providing honorariums for the players because the subsidy from the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) had not been disbursed. The club bore the training costs for the U-16 and U-18 teams. He did not deny that there was a selection fee of Rp 150,000 per person in 2019.

"[I] had a chance to talk with the management about this. Later it [the process] will be improved," he said.

Meanwhile, Beni, 16, not his real name, was forced to give up his dream of becoming a Persija U-16 player because there was no contract or scholarship. In fact, according to PSSI regulations for EPA U-16, all clubs are required to register the players with contracts and provide scholarships.

Beni is tired of having to go to school as well as train at Persija. From the school to the training ground in Sawangan, Depok, he travels 20 kilometers in an hour on a motorbike.

"I take a motorbike to Sawangan. I’m tired and there is no honorarium," he said.

KOMPAS/ADRIAN FAJRIANSYAH

The Angkasa Football School players are training in Bandung, Java Bara, on Wednesday (30/9/2020).

Persija development director Ganesha Putra said all Persija EPA players were given scholarships, but he was reluctant to specify their value. Obviously, he said, players don\'t complain about the distance between the school and the training ground.

"Sorry, don\'t get it wrong. If [you are] not strong enough for a two-hour trip, [just] forget [your aspiration] of becoming a professional player," he said.

Player hunt

Although the rights of the junior soccer players were not fulfilled, the hunt for young players for a number of soccer academies continues. SSB students are recruited unofficially by intermediaries to be transferred to a particular club. This practice eliminates the rights of the soccer academy to receive training compensation from the club, as stipulated in Article 20 of the PSSI Player Status and Transfer Regulation.

Arta Wijaya Taul, a coach with Villa 2000 soccer academy, revealed that intermediaries usually meet the parents of the players directly without going through the SSB.

"At that age [under 16 years] we don’t yet call them players. Where [on Earth] does a 16-year-old soccer player already have a salary?" he said.

According to the coach, the intermediary only charmed the children because not all young players can become professional players.

The coach of one of the SSBs said there was an intermediary who recruited young players from SSB to a particular club. According to the coach, the intermediary only charmed the children because not all young players can become professional players.

"Six of our players were taken. The problem is, if the game has slowed down or someone is injured, how will their future be?" said the coach.

When asked for confirmation, the intermediary refused to be labeled as an intermediary, saying it was not appropriate for him to be called an intermediary for channeling young players to particular club even though there were a number of young players he had recruited and transferred to a club.

"I only help channel players who come voluntarily to me and get them [to the club]. I never look for a player. I’m not [an agent]," he said.

PSSI technical director Indra Sjafri said the social security for young players was not the full responsibility of the PSSI, but it was also the responsibility of the club and the government.

"If the junior soccer players are malnourished or injured, that is the club\'s business," he said.

According to sports observer Fritz Simanjuntak, the protection of children\'s rights is actually stipulated in PSSI regulations, including that players are still obliged to go to school. However, this was often not fulfilled by the club and the PSSI does not take action.

"It must be strengthened with government regulations and laws, not just PSSI regulations. It is because PSSI regulations give no guarantees. If there is a violation and the management is silent, it will keep going," he said.

Youth and Sports Ministry secretary Gatot S Dewa Broto conceded that there were young players who were invited by intermediaries to enter the club with promises of honorarium and facilities. In practice, only players who are in good physical condition are maintained and the injured are neglected. (DRI/BKY/DVD/MDN)