Indonesian Parliament Addresses FIFA Call to Strip Country's U-20 World Cup Hosting Rights

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, said that the House regrets and is concerned about the stripping of Indonesia's hosting rights for the U20 World Cup tournament. He said that what happened has also stripped Indonesian youths' opportunity to compete at an international event. 

Dasco made the statement when representing House Speaker Puan Maharani to close the fourth plenary session today, April 13. Puan was unable to attend. 

"Indonesia has lost the chance to show the world that we are a developed country capable of successfully holding world events," Dasco said in his speech, Thursday.

Instead of pointing fingers at parties responsible for the cancellation of the hosting rights, Dasco said that was fully the authority and decision of FIFA. He said the DPR would always support the development of Indonesian football which is more advanced and accomplished.

On March 29, FIFA officially canceled Indonesia's rights to host the U20 World Cup Tournament. This decision came 3 days after FIFA also canceled the drawing for groups. They said that the cancelation was based on the "latest situations", presumable related to strong rejections to—by some community groups and state officials—the presence of the Israeli national team at the U-20 World Cup.

PSSI chairman Erick Thohir lobbied FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Doha, Qatar, after the draw was officially canceled. But FIFA sticks to its decision.

After meeting Infantino again in Paris on April 5, Erick managed to ease sanctions for PSSI. Indonesia avoided a heavy penalty such as a ban on competing in official FIFA tournaments.

In a press release on April 6, he said he was relieved that "Indonesia can avoid more severe sanctions, which is the exclusion of world football."

Erick said that with this light sanction, Indonesia can still compete in the 2023 SEA Games.

"With this sanction, we are not given a red card, but a yellow card. So we can still play and compete in the SEA Games at the end of this month."

Ima Dini Shafira

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