The public still awaits the PSSI to realize its commitment to transform national football. Although Indonesia avoided harsh sanctions, losing FIFA Forward funds is still a loss for the PSSI.
By
M IKHSAN MAHAR
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO
A symbol of love is formed around a poster supporting the U-20 football team when hundreds of Indonesian football fans take part in the 1000 Candles Action and a Joint Prayer for the Indonesian U-20 Team "Save the Future of Indonesian Football" at Gedung Joang 45, Jakarta, Tuesday (4/4/2023 ). The action held by the Football Movement for the People (GSR) is a movement concerned with the cancellation of the Indonesian U-20 Team's participation in the U-20 World Cup.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS – FIFA administrative sanctions on the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) shows that national football management still has a long way to go. PSSI management for the 2023-2027 period under the leadership of Erick Thohir must exert all efforts to fulfill its aim to improve football as a whole.
PSSI chairman Erick Thohir said FIFA gave the PSSI a yellow card in the form of an administrative sanction by freezing the FIFA Forward 3.0 program funds for the 2023-2025 period. The sanction briefly raised concerns from the PSSI and the Indonesian government over freezing the country’s FIFA membership, which would make domestic competitions impossible and would bar the Indonesian national team from partaking in international tournaments.
“With this sanction, we are still able to carry out football transformations with FIFA. We can play and compete in the SEA [Southeast Asian] Games at the end of this month,” said Erick in his statement after meeting with FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Paris on Thursday (6/4/2023) evening, Western Time Zone (WIB).
According to Erick, this administrative sanction should serve as a lesson for all football stakeholders. Together with the PSSI management for the 2023-2027 period, Erick is committed to preparing three categories of professional competitions, early childhood development and a national team program that will achieve on the international stage.
Professional Footballers Association of Indonesia (APPI) CEO M. Hardika Aji said FIFA’s administrative sanction must propel Erick and PSSI management to focus on carrying out football reform programs that had been initiated since they were elected in the 2023 PSSI extraordinary congress in February. He stressed that their main priority should be to improve national tournaments.
However, Aji explained that improving local competitions should go beyond simple matters, such as tournament formats and schedules. He hopes that the PSSI will also pay closer attention to the condition of the players, who are at the forefront of national tournaments.
The administrative sanction should serve as a lesson for all football stakeholders.
“There are already legal instruments in place to guarantee the protection of football players through the Sports Law. The federation must adopt this regulation in the realm of football so that all football players are guaranteed their rights during injuries. This is to prevent cases of football clubs ignoring players’ rights from recurring,” said Aji on Friday (7/4) in Jakarta.
For example, in August 2022 the APPI became a facilitator for hundreds of football players to collect salaries that were withheld by eight Liga 2 clubs, which amounted to Rp 1.82 billion.
Additionally, two Liga 1 clubs, namely Persikabo 1973 and Persija Jakarta, were sanctioned by FIFA for not paying the salaries of former foreign players according to a contract for the 2020 season. These foreign players were Alex Dos Santos Goncalves (Persikabo) and Marko Simic (Persija).
FIFA/PSSI
FIFA President Gianni Infantino (left) with PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir after a meeting on Thursday (6/4/2023) in Paris, France. The meeting discussed plans to transform Indonesian football and the sanction decision for PSSI.
Not turning a blind eye
Indonesian Presidium of Football Supporters (PNSSI) secretary-general Richard Achmad said FIFA’s sanction should serve as a lesson for the PSSI and all national football stakeholders. He urged all parties not to turn a blind eye to efforts to provide guidance for football support groups following the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy.
“All parties must understand that [guidance] for supporters is the most important part of improving football. We hope that the fans are not only remembered when they are needed and forgotten when they are not needed,” said Richard.
Hence, the PNSSI hopes that the PSSI and the government will carry out the mandate of Article 55 of Law No. 11/2022 concerning sports. Supporters have rights that need to be implemented, such as legal protection, guidance, priority opportunities for club share ownership, as well as protection to provide direct support.
To have these rights fulfilled, supporter groups should also form a legal entity. The establishment of a legal entity or organization was based on a recommendation from the club or the PSSI as the parent organization.
Save Our Football coordinator Akmal Marhali explained that the implementation of competitions is the easiest benchmark to judge the success of national football reforms. He added that a competition that runs with all improved aspects, such as schedules and the conditions of players and fans, would be the foundation to form an outstanding national team.
Akmal also welcomed the blueprint for Indonesian football that Erick presented to Infantino. This blueprint must be implemented optimally so that Indonesia does not accumulate yellow cards or is slapped with a red card from FIFA.
“So far, we are good at making programs but lacking in executing them, such as the 2045 PSSI Vision, which has been stuck. The blueprint must be executed so that FIFA sees a fundamental change in Indonesian football,” said Akmal.
Loss of funds
Having funds frozen from the FIFA Forward 3.0 program is still a major setback. It was Infantino’s main program in his campaign ahead of the FIFA presidential election for the 2023-2027 period at the 73rd FIFA Congress in Kigali, Rwanda, in early March.
Through FIFA Forward 3.0, which runs from 2023 to 2025, the international football authority will provide coaching funds to 211 members. The funds cover three categories, namely US$5 million (Rp 74.7 billion) for operational costs, $3 million for football projects aimed at achieving long-term targets, and an additional US$1.2 million for accommodation and equipment for the national team.
In FIFA Forward 2.0 for the 2019-2021 period, FIFA provided $3 million in funding. The funds consisted of $2.3 million for operational funds and $700,000 as Covid-19 aid. Meanwhile, during FIFA Forward 1.0 for the 2016-2018 period, the PSSI received $3.8 million (Rp 56.7 billion).
Infantino said the sanction could be reviewed at any time. He emphasized that revoking the FIFA Forward funding freeze would largely depend on the PSSI’s commitment to follow through with strategic plans that were presented in Paris.
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