TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has set aside Rp5 billion to conduct COVID-19 swab tests for players, officials, and all parties involved in the Indonesian football league’s Liga 1 and Liga 2 competitions.

“We have prepared a budget of about Rp5 billion for the swab test. This (testing) has become the association's responsibility, and of course, sponsors will return after it (the competition) restarts," PSSI chairman Mochamad Iriawan said at a webinar here on Tuesday.

PSSI plans to restart the 2020 Liga 1 season from October 1, 2020, after it was suspended in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, the 2020 Liga 2 season will be held over a shorter period from October 17 to December 5, 2020.

Iriawan said the Task Force for COVID-19 Response will also assist PSSI in conducting the coronavirus swab tests, and the league operators will apply stringent health protocols, in accordance with the regulations.

"Mr. Doni Monardo (head of the COVID-19 task force) has said that he will help us," he added.

The decision to restart the football competition is proof that sports activities in Indonesia can coexist with COVID-19, he noted.

According to Iriawan, the Indonesian public need not wait for the pandemic to end, instead, it should work towards coexisting with the virus and apply health protocols, while awaiting the COVID-19 vaccine.

"With the restarting of Liga 1 and Liga 2 competitions, we want to show the world that Indonesia is ready to live with COVID-19 and implement the new normal system," he asserted.

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