TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) chairman Erick Thohir met with President Joko Widodo or Jokowi at the Jakarta Merdeka Palace on Wednesday, September 20, 2023. The two discussed the improvement of national football through the establishment of a football mafia task force.

Erick said the President stressed the need for cooperation with public figures. “The President hopes that the football mafia task force will also involve the public so that it will be very transparent,” he said after the meeting.

According to Erick, the task force will consist of five public figures who will be announced soon this afternoon. The task force will work for six months to a year, collaborating with the police and the prosecutor's office.

“So this is a check and balance, and we, PSSI and Exco, are very open because we are very transparent today,” he added.

In June 2023, Erick had a discussion with the National Police Chief, General Pol. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, in Jakarta. After the meeting, he said that the police already possessed data regarding match-fixing.

Additionally, Erick said he and the president discussed preparations for the U-17 World Cup which will be held in Indonesia from November 10 to December 2, 2023.

Erick, who is also the Minister of State-Owned Enterprises (SOE), asked the president to attend the opening ceremony of the international youth tournament which will also be attended by high-ranking FIFA officials.

Four stadiums have been designated as venues of the U-17 World Cup, namely Jakarta International Stadium (JIS), Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, Manahan Stadium in Solo, and Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung. The Indonesian U-17 national team will compete against Ecuador, Morocco, and Panama in Group A in Surabaya.

DANIEL A. FAJRI