Young Indonesians’ Dreams for Global Spotlight Crumbles

ADRYAN YOGA PARAMADWYA

Indonesian U-20 National Team player Hugo Samir rubbed his eyes while listening to instructions from Deputy Chairman of PSSI Zainudin Amali at the Sultan Hotel, Jakarta, Thursday (30/3/2023).

The Indonesian football community is being thrown into sheer mourning. Wreaths of condolences adorned the front yard of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) office at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Senayan, South Jakarta, on Thursday (30/3/2023), following world football governing body FIFA’s decision to strip Indonesia’s hosting rights of the 2023 U-20 World Cup.

"Condolences for the demise of the young Indonesians’ dreams," read a message on one floral wreath sent by the football institute.

The Young Garuda players, the nickname of the Indonesian youth football squad members, wore black ribbons as they appeared in a media conference. “This is a symbol of mourning for the canceled U-20 World Cup [in Indonesia]. We are disappointed. We have been preparing ourselves for two years,” Kadek Arel Priyatna, center back of the U-20 Indonesia team, said.

Being stripped from hosting the world’s third biggest football spectacle after the World Cup and Women's World Cup is a tragedy for national soccer. It comes when the nation is still struggling to cope with the Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster, which claimed 135 lives in Malang, East Java, last October.

“I am shocked that the World Cup has been canceled. Palembang was 100 percent ready [for the event]," South Sumatra Governor Herman Deru, who was dressed in black, said in a downbeat mood.

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> Politics and Politicization of Sports Events

> FIFA Strips Indonesia of Hosting Rights

According to Herman, the revocation of Indonesia's right to host the U-20 World Cup due to vocal opposition to Israel’s participation would bear a long-lasting impact on national football. Not only is Indonesia now deprived of hosting rights, FIFA has also stated that it would impose sanctions.

“Suppose Indonesia is banned by FIFA [from international events], what about the fate of those getting involved in [national soccer]? Not to mention the scathing psychological impact on Young Garuda. They were preparing hard to fight for the country only to find their efforts in vain because of the opposition [to Israel] from a few people," Herman said in Palembang.

Until last week, the Young Garuda squad members still engaged in training enthusiastically as they were fostering their dreams of appearing on the world stage along with a throng of the world's future stars.

They were preparing hard to fight for the country only to find their efforts in vain because of the opposition [to Israel] from a few people.

Within days their dreams have now turned into a nightmare with the future suddenly becoming blurred. Not only will the young players fail to appear in a prestigious soccer competition before home fans while looking to stake an opportunity to attract attention from European clubs, they are facing bleak prospects of faring in other official events with FIFA threatening to impose a harsh punishment.

FIFA’s alienation of Indonesia from international football once occurred back in 2015 when the government was adjudged to have interfered with the PSSI, which also resulted in the domestic league being frozen. Some players ended up in the wilderness for livelihood, from playing rudimentary soccer competitions, locally known as tarkam, to switching professions as online motorcycle taxi drivers.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Bouquets of flowers cheering the U-20 players filled the PSSI office yard at the GBK Arena, Jakarta, Thursday (30/3/2023). FIFA cancels Indonesia as host of the 2023 U-20 World Cup.

Sheer sadness was palpable on the faces of Young Garuda players when they heard the news from PSSI chairman Erick Thohir, who faltered in lobbying FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday, (29/3). Some players were struggling to hold back tears. Some coaching staff members were also teary-eyed.

“Looking ahead, [we] must take it as a lesson learned. We may have got it [the ticket to U-20 World Cup] by virtue of being the host, [but] we worked hard [as we were trying to deliver] our best. We trained up to three times a day. You may not feel what we do after all this hard work. It's not just us, but other players [across all age brackets] will be affected," Hokky Caraka, a U-20 squad member, said at the lobby of Hotel Sultan, Central Jakarta.

Hopes shattered

U-20 assistant coach Nova Arianto looked in such a downbeat mood as he said the players' efforts and hard work over the past few years had come in vain. "For people who don't know football, it's merely a matter of the World Cup. However, I'm sure this is all about your dreams,” he spoke to the players. “I’m here to stay [with you] because I was also harboring the dream of appearing in this event. It turns out to be a hollow dream of ours," said Nova, shedding his tears in the companionship of fellow coaching members.

He deplored Indonesia's elimination by FIFA would not have happened if sports had not been mixed with political and religious issues. "I can understand we are in support of another country [Palestine] with the resources [we have] or whatever. I just can't accept that other countries, Israel and Palestine, can go ahead to play while we can't,” he said emotionally.

Deep disappointment was also shown by coach Shin Tae-yong. As his players were grappling to come to terms with the news about the hosting cancellation, he chose to lock himself in his room. The South Korean was desperately trying to conceal his facial air of sadness from the young players.

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“I feel heartache. In 2017, I took part in the [U-20] World Cup [hosted] in Korea. So, I was well aware that this event would be a great [opportunity for the players’ career] development. It's a shame the World Cup fails to be held in Indonesia. The players [become] bereft of hopes," said Shin, who was coach of the South Korean senior team during the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

In disappointment, PSSI deputy chairman Zainudin Amali tried to lift up the spirits of the Garuda players during Thursday's meeting. “Indeed, this is tough, saddening and disappointing for all of us. Faced with this incident, we must try to restore FIFA's trust [in us], especially since we also have a dream of holding the 2034 World Cup [planned to be jointly hosted] with other countries," he said. (AGS/SAN/RAM/Z03/JON)

This article was translated by Musthofid