SPORTS
Indonesia leagues unite to avoid sanctions
Two rival football federations in Indonesia agreed Sunday to unite, three days before a deadline set by world governing body FIFA.
"The unification of leagues will begin in 2014," the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) chief Djohar Arifin Husin told a press conference after a congress in Jakarta.
"The FIFA and AFC (Asian Football Confederation) delegations are very satisfied with the (congress) decisions. God willing, Indonesia will be free from FIFA sanctions," he said.
Husin said the result of the congress would immediately be submitted to FIFA, before its executive committee meeting in Zurich on March 20.
"Now there's no dualism as we become one, we are now in one boat called PSSI and I hope this is the end to the conflict," he said.
The rival Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI) has been disssolved, according to its chief La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti who also attended the congress.
Local media reported that he was named the PSSI's new deputy chief.
Football in Southeast Asia's biggest nation has been mired in cvontroversy for the past two years, with the PSSI and the KPSI angering FIFA by running separate leagues and ignoring several deadlines to unite.
The rift began in 2011 when PSSI expelled four of its members. They started a rebel Indonesian Super League to rival the official Indonesian Premier League, splitting the nation's best teams.
The rival federations signed a memorandum of understanding in Kuala Lumpur last June to resolve the conflict, but failed to come to an agreement before a deadline of December 15.
FIFA's executive body extended the deadline to March 20, a move which president Sepp Blatter dubbed a "Christmas gift".
Blatter said Indonesia would be barred from international matches and lose financial assistance from FIFA if it missed the new date.
"Although the decision was not unanimous, this is a democracy," said sports minister Roy Suryo. "Next, let's bring the good name of Indonesia to the international football scene."
"The unification of leagues will begin in 2014," the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) chief Djohar Arifin Husin told a press conference after a congress in Jakarta.
"The FIFA and AFC (Asian Football Confederation) delegations are very satisfied with the (congress) decisions. God willing, Indonesia will be free from FIFA sanctions," he said.
Husin said the result of the congress would immediately be submitted to FIFA, before its executive committee meeting in Zurich on March 20.
"Now there's no dualism as we become one, we are now in one boat called PSSI and I hope this is the end to the conflict," he said.
The rival Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI) has been disssolved, according to its chief La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti who also attended the congress.
Local media reported that he was named the PSSI's new deputy chief.
Football in Southeast Asia's biggest nation has been mired in cvontroversy for the past two years, with the PSSI and the KPSI angering FIFA by running separate leagues and ignoring several deadlines to unite.
The rift began in 2011 when PSSI expelled four of its members. They started a rebel Indonesian Super League to rival the official Indonesian Premier League, splitting the nation's best teams.
The rival federations signed a memorandum of understanding in Kuala Lumpur last June to resolve the conflict, but failed to come to an agreement before a deadline of December 15.
FIFA's executive body extended the deadline to March 20, a move which president Sepp Blatter dubbed a "Christmas gift".
Blatter said Indonesia would be barred from international matches and lose financial assistance from FIFA if it missed the new date.
"Although the decision was not unanimous, this is a democracy," said sports minister Roy Suryo. "Next, let's bring the good name of Indonesia to the international football scene."