Urgent Improvement of Soccer League Management Needed
Suspension of Leagues 2 and 3 shows the poor management of the national soccer competition. A revamp is needed.
By
MUHAMMAD IKHSAN MAHAR
·6 minutes read
DOKUMENTASI MEDIA OFFICER PERSIPURA JAYAPURA
The match between Persewar Waropen and Persipura Jayapura ended in a goalless draw in the Eastern Region League 2 at the Mandala Jayapura Stadium, Papua, Saturday (1/10/2022).
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The decision by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and PT Liga Indonesia Baru (PT LIB) to suspend Leagues 2 and 3 for the 2022-2023 season shows the low professionalism of the federation and the operator of the national soccer competition. There needs to be a thorough revamping of professional league management in the country.
The meeting of the Executive Committee of PSSI and PT LIB, on Thursday (12/1/2023), confirmed the news that had been circulating over the week regarding the fate of League 2 and 3, which were suspended half way the season. Increasingly stringent permits and an assessment of safety and proper standards of the stadiums belonging to the participating clubs following the Kanjuruhan tragedy that occurred on 1 October 2022 were the driving factors that prompted the soccer competition at the two levels to be suspended.
Before they decided to suspend the leagues, PT LIB held a meeting with the management of the 28 clubs of League 2 in Jakarta on 14 December 2022. During the meeting, representatives of 20 clubs signed a statement regarding the continuation of the League 2 competition. PT LIB then requested a meeting with PSSI to decide the fate of League 2 and 3.
One of the club representatives who signed the statement was Serang-based Perserang manager Babay Karnawi. However, when confirming the news on Friday (13/1), he explained, the statement did not necessarily recommend that League 2 be suspended. He revealed that at a meeting on 14 December, the League 2 clubs actually asked for clarification on the fate of the competition, which was in limbo after the Kanjuruhan tragedy.
During the discussion, the majority of clubs did not agree that the competition should continue with the normal system of home-and-away games. The reason was that the clubs’ finances were very bad because the league had not started since the beginning of October 2022.
"We want the competition to continue with a ‘centralized bubble system’ so that the costs of the competition are fully borne by PT LIB. We are already having financial difficulties because the competition is not running but we are still incurring operational costs to pay players and officials. Moreover, PT LIB has not yet provided the subsidy as promised at the start of the competition," said Babay in Jakarta.
I think that PT LIB is not ready [to continue League 2 and 3], but is embarrassed to disclose their financial conditions.
All League 2 clubs this season receive a subsidy of Rp 100 million (US$6,519.75) per month for the eight months the competition has been running. After taxes, the nominal of the subsidy received by the club is Rp 96 million. PT LIB has only paid the subsidy twice.
But according to Babay, his side spends Rp 600 million per month on operations. The funds cover the salaries of players, staff and training field rent.
"I think that PT LIB is not ready [to continue League 2 and 3], but is embarrassed to disclose their financial conditions. So far, PT LIB has argued that League 2 cannot be sold. It is their job to fix the league so that it has a selling point, for example, starting with the certainty of the schedule and competition system. That is what made us propose that League 2 be managed by an independent operator," he said.
ANTARA/HO-PERSIBA
Persiba vs Kalteng Men's match in the 2022 League 2 match at the Batakan Stadium, Balikpapan, Thursday 22/9/2022.
Demand justice
Another club representative, operational director of Gresik United, Thoriqi Fajrin, believed that the termination of League 2 hurts the principle of fairness in competition. His party and a number of other clubs have already prepared various things in order to take part in the competition.
Gresik United even paid its own expenses, with its headquarters, the Joko Samudro Stadium, having a risk assessment carried out by the Indonesian National Police so it could host the remaining matches this season.
"The team is ready. Our stadium has also received a proper assessment for the use of League 1 and 2 competitions. If it is stopped, our hard work will be fruitless," said Thoriqi.
Not only clubs, players are also disappointed by PSSI's decision to stop League 2 and 3. This decision could have an impact on the livelihoods of 817 players registered in 28 clubs of League 2 and hundreds of other players in the 64 clubs participating in League 3.
Zulkifli Syukur, a senior player, admitted that he was surprised by the decision to stop League 2 and 3 this season. According to him, the decision violated the principle of justice. If the competition is stopped due to the Kanjuruhan tragedy, he believed that League 1 should also not be continued.
"I will fight to seek justice for the fate of soccer players, especially young players, in Indonesia," said Zulkifli, a player for Banten’s League 3 club Adhyaksa Farmel.
Hasani Abdulgani, a member of the PSSI Executive Committee, said that the termination of Leagues 2 and 3 was the impact of the Kanjuruhan tragedy, which changed the competition rules. He added that the majority of stadiums of League 2 clubs were still undergoing assessments from the National Police team as well as the Public Works and Housing Ministry. So, the league cannot run in the near future.
I will fight to seek justice for the fate of soccer players, especially young players, in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, if the competition continues with a bubble system, he continued, PT LIB's finance will get disrupted. "Considering the current financial situation, we cannot continue the League 2 and 3 competitions within a bubble system because there will be a large increase in costs," said PT LIB director Ferry Paulus in a letter to PSSI.
If the bubble system is implemented, all operational costs will be borne by the competition operator, namely PT LIB. This happened in League 1 last season. "If that happens, everything will fall apart, including League 1, which is PT LIB's source of income," said Hasani.
If it continues, Hasani explained, League 2 must be completed before the U-20 World Cup, which is in May 2023. "So, they must continue to play in the month of Ramadan. However, 90 percent of the stadiums for League 2 teams do not meet the standards for hosting matches at night, which are held during the fasting month," he said.
Hasani added that whether or not the two leagues continued would depend on the PSSI management for the next period that will be elected through the PSSI Extraordinary Congress on 16 February.
