ID :
369316
Fri, 05/29/2015 - 18:54
Auther :

GOVT Will Take Responsibility for Any FIFA Sanction: Minister

Jakarta, May 29 (Antara) -- The Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry is ready to take responsibility for the possibility of FIFA imposing a sanction on Indonesian football over its decision to suspend the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI). "We hope FIFA does not impose a sanction on us. The government will take responsibility for whatever decision it makes today or tomorrow," Secretary of the Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry   Alfitra Salam said here on Friday. Earlier, Deputy Chairman of the PSSI Erwin Dwi Budiawan stated that the global governing body of football will impose a sanction on the PSSI unless the youth and sports affairs minister revokes his decree suspending the association before the May 29 deadline. "This statement was made by Chairman of the PSSI La Nyalla, who is now in Switzerland to attend a FIFA congress. If the decision is not revoked by May 29, FIFA will automatically impose a sanction on us on May 30," he affirmed after a hearing with Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday, May 27. He added that the only way to avoid the FIFA sanction was to revoke the ministerial decision. "The key is to revoke the decision. It (FIFA) only asked us to revoke the decision to avoid the sanction," Budiawan pointed out. Earlier this week, a panel of judges of the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in East Jakarta decided to suspend the youth and sports minister's decision number 01307 of 2015 on imposing an administrative sanction on the PSSI. The judges were of the view that suspending domestic tournaments, including the Indonesia Super League, and both Premier Division and Division One games, will inflict great losses on the PSSI and PT Liga Indonesia, the organizer of professional soccer competitions in the country. Moreover, the continuation of the livelihood of players, coaches, officials, umpires and other people will also be threatened, the judges pointed out.   "Players, coaches and umpires will lose their source of income, as will those who earn a living through football," they remarked.            The Youth and Sports Affairs Ministry had suspended the PSSI for failing to respond to its three written warnings issued after it disregarded the Indonesian Professional Sports Association's decision to not include problematic clubs in the domestic league. Moreover, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Thursday that the PTUN's verdict automatically annuls the youth and sport minister's decree on suspending the PSSI. "With the PTUN issuing the verdict, it (the ministerial decree) is automatically invalid. So even if it is not revoked, it will not make a difference because legally, it is not valid," he explained here on Thursday.   With the PTUN's verdict, the PSSI can resume all its activities, the vice president affirmed. "It is the law, not a ministerial decree, which has the highest power. So legally, it (the ministerial decree) is invalid," he remarked. 

X