Indonesian soccer players and fans reacted with tears and outrage after the country was stripped of hosting rights for the Under-20 World Cup only eight weeks before the start of the tournament amid political turmoil over Israel’s participation, leaving Indonesian soccer at risk of further sanctions.
The youth soccer event was expected to be a rare turn on the
global soccer stage for a country that hasn’t been to the World Cup since
winning independence. But it was officially canceled Wednesday after two
regional governors said they would not allow an Israeli team to play in their
territories.
FIFA said Indonesia was removed from staging the 24-team
tournament scheduled to start on May 20 “due to the current circumstances,”
without specifying details.
In an emotional meeting with Indonesian youth players and
their coach in Jakarta on Thursday, Zainudin Amali, deputy chair of the
national soccer association, apologized. Some players were seen shedding tears
while others looked down sadly.
“It’s a heartbreaking decision that ruined our dreams, and
now we are confused about our future as players if FIFA imposes sanctions,”
said Hokky Caraka, a striker in Indonesia’s U-20 national team, “It’s the
players who suffer the most,” he said.
Shin Tae-yong, a South Korean former professional footballer
and manager who is coaching the Indonesia national football team, said
Indonesia’s failure to host the U-20 World Cup is a big loss.
“I am hurt!” he said, “I can feel the sadness and mental
breakdown of the players. They have prepared tirelessly alongside me in the last
three and a half years.”
Popular social media were flooded with outraged comments
from disappointed fans. Many blamed politics a year ahead of a presidential
election. Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and
does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.
“Indonesia’s name in international sports is tarnished, this
is a bitter event in our soccer history,” said Andieka Rabbani, a university
student in the capital, Jakarta.
He added that Israeli delegations have been to Indonesia for
sporting and diplomatic events before, including four Israelis who competed in
the World Cycling Championship last month in Jakarta.
A number of members of the Israeli Parliament also attended
an Interparliamentary Union conference in Bali last year and were warmly
welcomed by Indonesian House Speaker Puan Maharani, the granddaughter of
Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno, and by Bali Governor Wayan Koster, who
was the first to reject the Israeli youth soccer team.
“Our stance on the U-20 World Cup is too politicized because
a presidential election is coming,” Rabbani said.
Arya Sinulingga, a national soccer association executive
committee member, expressed concern about further repercussions.
“This is a sign that we are not able to carry out what has
been asked (by FIFA) ... among other things that there should be no
discrimination,” Sinulingga said in an interview with local television. “What
we are most worried about right now is that we will be ostracized from
international events, especially from world soccer activities.”
The Indonesian soccer federation could be further
disciplined by FIFA. A suspension could remove Indonesia from Asian qualifying
for the 2026 World Cup. The continental qualifiers start in October.
The decision followed a meeting in Doha, Qatar, between
Indonesian soccer federation president Erick Thohir and Gianni Infantino, the
president of FIFA, soccer’s world governing body.
Thohir, the former president of Italian club Inter Milan and
a former co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers, said as a member of FIFA,
Indonesia had little choice but to accept the decision.
“I have tried my best,” he said in a statement. “After
delivering a letter from President Joko Widodo and discussing it at length with
the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, we must accept FIFA’s decision to
cancel this event that we were both looking forward to.”
He said FIFA “considered that the current situation cannot
be continued.”
Soccer and public authorities in Indonesia agreed to FIFA’s
hosting rules, which require hosts to accept all qualifying teams, in 2019
before being selected to stage the 2021 edition of the Under-20 World Cup. The
coronavirus pandemic forced the tournament to be postponed for two years.
Indonesia has long had an uneasy relationship with FIFA,
which rejected its long-shot bid to host the 2022 World Cup early in the
campaign in 2010 because mandatory paperwork was not filed. FIFA also removed
Indonesia from the 2018 World Cup qualification program over government
interference in the domestic league.
Thohir’s appointment this year to run Indonesian soccer was
intended to bring more stability.
President Widodo urged people to respect FIFA’s ruling.
“I know this decision has disappointed many people. I also
feel the same, disappointed and sad,” Widodo said Thursday evening.
“But don’t waste our energy by blaming each other. As a
great nation we must look forward, not backward. Make this a valuable lesson
for all of us, for Indonesian national football.”
He said he has asked Thohir to make every effort so
Indonesia will not be further sanctioned by FIFA.
Israel qualified in June last year for its first Under-20
World Cup by reaching the semifinals of the Under-19 European Championship. The
team went on to lose to England in that final.
Israel has played in Europe since the 1970s after leaving
the Asian Football Confederation for political and security reasons. -AP