PSSI confident of avoiding FIFA ban

JAKARTA: The beleaguered Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) are confident of avoiding a FIFA ban after offering an olive branch to another breakaway soccer league in a new twist in the struggle for power.

The PSSI, organisers of the previously unofficial Indonesia Premier League (LPI), told Reuters they would also recognise the Indonesia Super League providing ISL organisers handed over control.

The decision came after the PSSI congress in Palangkaraya, Borneo, on Sunday but not all members attended the meeting which world governing body FIFA had ordered to happen before today.

The Indonesia Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI), featuring some PSSI members, held their own conference in north Jakarta on Sunday after growing frustrated at what they said was poor leadership by the PSSI.

There the KPSI elected a new PSSI leader and deputy chairman and plan to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to have them recognised as the heads of Indonesian soccer by FIFA, Indonesian media outlet Kompas reported yesterday.

Despite the KPSI’S actions, the PSSI’S disciplinary commission head, Bernhard Limbong, said he was “optimistic” their moves to recognise the ISL would avoid FIFA sanctions. “We have followed FIFA’S order to hold a congress before March 20 and we did that,” Limbong told Reuters by telephone yesterday after the Borneo meeting.

“We have also admitted the Indonesia Super League, as well as Indonesia Premier League (LPI), under PSSI, which addressed FIFA’S statute to unite the breakaway league into one single league.”

The move could appease upset supporters of the national team, who were humiliated 10-0 by Bahrain in their final World Cup qualifier last month after the Isl-based players were barred from playing because of the feud.

Last year, under the guidance of former chairman Nurdin Halid, the PSSI were fortunate to avoid a FIFA suspension after failing to arrange leadership elections and control the then-unofficial LPI backed by oil tycoon Arifin Panigoro.

Halid eventually left office and was replaced in a July election by the Panigorobacked Djohar Arifin Husin. The LPI then became the PSSI’S recognised league.

However, Halid’s former colleague Nirwan Bakrie restarted the ISL this year, reigniting the issue, but Limbong said the two leagues will now co-exist under the PSSI should the ISL agree.