JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesian football's long-running struggle against corruption has been reignited with authorities promising a new crackdown after a senior official was caught trying to bribe a coach, the latest scandal in a league scarred by mismanagement and deadly hooliganism.
But, dogged by years of match-fixing, violence and corruption rife at all levels of the game, analysts say the Southeast Asian country needs to do more than "lip service" to tackle the endemic problems.
On Dec 3, an executive member of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) resigned after a popular television talk show broadcast a recording of him offering the coach of Madura FC a bribe of approximately US$10,000 (S$13,673) to throw a second division game.
Hidayat, who like many Indonesians only uses one name, has been handed a three-year ban from football and fined by a PSSI disciplinary committee.
"Match-fixing exists everywhere, in league 1, 2 and 3. The problem is that the match-fixing issue has never been solved and (perpetrators) punished properly," football analyst Akmal Marhali told AFP.
The PSSI announced the establishment of a special task force to address allegations of match-fixing following the scandal, promising firm action against cheats.
But critics like Marhali say there needs to be more than just "lip service" to solve a problem that so far seems to be out of the grasp of Indonesian authorities.
"Perpetrators feel like they have impunity because there is no law enforcement," Marhali said.
Allegations of match-fixing have swirled around Indonesian football for decades.
Indonesian defender Mursyid Effendi was given a lifetime ban by Fifa after scoring a deliberate own goal in a Tiger Cup match against Thailand in 1998.
The manager of Borneo-based Bontang FC, Camara Fode, received a lifetime ban for ordering his team to lose against PSLS Lhokseumawe, from Aceh, in a Premier League game in 2013. Players from both teams were also suspended.
The following year, several players from both PSS Sleman and PSIS Semarang were banned for life after scoring five deliberate own goals in the final minutes of the match to avoid a playoff clash.
Long-time fans have become so used to mismanagement and corruption in the game that match-fixing is considered an "open secret", Dex Glenniza, managing editor of website Pandit Football, told AFP.
Players, referees, and club administrators are all involved in rigging matches, he said, adding that although gambling is illegal in Indonesia, fans often bet through international gambling websites or local bookies.
Glenniza said funding shortfalls for player salaries and club operations, conflicts of interest within the PSSI and weak law enforcement have all made the game an "easy target" for crime syndicates.
Azwan Karim, who served as secretary general of the PSSI between 2014 and 2016, said the PSSI could not tackle the problem alone.
"The PSSI can only use its football judicial procedures," he told AFP.
"To have a deterrent effect in place, the government should be involved - the police especially."
While it has a low international profile, Indonesia has attracted some Premier League players, including former Chelsea star Michael Essien and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Didier Zokora.
But Indonesian football has been tarnished on the global stage by a host of problems over the years - including months of unpaid wages and the deaths of at least two foreign players who were left unable to afford medical care.
An explosive row between the domestic association and government prompted Fifa to ban Indonesia from international competition in 2015. The ban was lifted last year.
As if to underline the game's struggle with corruption, former PSSI chairman Nurdin Halid once ran the organisation from his jail cell where he was serving time on unrelated graft charges.
Indonesia has in recent years also gained a reputation as Asia's most violent football nation.
In September, 23-year-old Persija Jakarta fan Haringga Sirla was clubbed to death by supporters of arch-rival Persib Bandung outside a stadium in the Javan city of Bandung.
PSSI vice chairman Joko Driyono said the association had a zero tolerance approach to match-fixing, and was ready to work with law enforcement authorities on the issue.
Yet, some observers of the Indonesian game are dubious this will result in firm action.
"No more cherry-picking, anyone who breaks the ethical code and integrity of football must be punished," Marhali, who runs football watchdog Save Our Soccer, said.
"The PSSI should no longer shield those who are involved in match-fixing - we know that some of those involved are PSSI people."
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo is facing disciplinary action for his celebration after one of the three goals he scored in last week's 3-0 win over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
The long trophy streak has, at long last, been broken. After hoovering up all 11 trophies on offer in the previous three seasons, Albirex Niigata finally tasted defeat when Home United triumphed 5-4 on penalties to lift the Community Shield last night as the new Singapore Premier League (SPL) season kicked off.
Home snap Albirex's title-winning streak - theworldnews.net
Atletico Madrid moved level on points with La Liga leaders Barcelona after Antoine Griezmanns second-half penalty was enough to see off Espanyol 1-0 on Saturday. Griezmann smashed home from the spot 10 minutes after the break to give Diego Simeones side three points from a hard-fought match with m ..
Australia's women footballers to earn same base pay as men in win for gender equality Under a new collective bargaining agreement unveiled on the eve of the Women's World Cup in France, the base annual pay for players in the W-League was hiked 33 percent to Aus$16,344 (US$11,393).
Australian female footballers to earn same base pay as men
Football News -. Read more at straitstimes.com. 'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stun imploding Iran at Asian Cup of Iran in action against Minamino Takumi of Japan during the 2019 AFC
AFC Asian Cup: 'Emotional breakdown' as Japan stuns imploding
WOLVERHAMPTON, England, (Reuters) - Wolverhampton Wanderers reached the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1998 by beating last year's runners-up Manchester United 2-1 with a clinical
Football: Jimenez, Jota slay Man United as Wolves reach FA
Hello Web Admin, I noticed that your On-Page SEO is is missing a few factors, for one you do not use all three H tags in your post, also I notice that you are not using bold or italics properly in your SEO optimization.
Corpus of articles from the English newspaper 'The Financial
Man Utd latest financial results: 6 things you might have missed as Ed Woodward faced investors. The share price is rising, the App remains No.1 and "entertainment centres" in China are very much
Mourinho´s huge pay-off fails to dent Manchester | Daily
Noh meaning in Urdu: جاپان کا روایتی ڈراما جِس میں رقص اور موسیقی بھی شامل ہوتی ہے - Japan ka riwayati drama jiss mein raqs aur moseeqi bhi shaamil hoti hai meaning, Definition Synonyms at English to Urdu dictionary gives you the best and accurate urdu translation and meanings of Noh and Japan ka riwayati drama jiss mein raqs aur moseeqi bhi
8 Fun Corporate Team-Building Activities In Singapore Even
Football: Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real's leader, says ex-Madrid striker Mijatovic Real Madrid's Gareth Bale celebrates scoring their second goal against the Kashima Antlers in Abu Dhabi
Football: Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real's leader
sportsloveme.com/soccer/football-gareth-bale-nowhere-near-being-reals-leader-says-ex-madrid-striker-mijatovic/
Football: Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real's leader, says ex-Madrid striker Mijatovic 01/04/2019 La Liga , Real Madrid (REUTERS) - Former Real Madrid striker Predrag Mijatovic criticised Gareth Bale for lacking leadership qualities and hit out at coach Santiago Solari after the club's La Liga title ambitions were dented by Thursday's
Gareth Bale 'nowhere near' being Real Madrid's leader, says
BAKU: Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante is a doubt for Wednesday's Europa League final against Arsenal because of a knee injury, with coach Maurizio Sarri rating the French star's chances of playing
Chelsea sweat on Kante fitness for Europa League final
Feb 12, 2019 · Gordon Banks, England's 1966 World Cup winning goalkeeper, has died aged 81. A statement released by his family via one of his former clubs Stoke City said: "It is with great sadness that we
Gordon Banks dies: tributes paid to England World Cup-winning
0 Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen