Beginning the Transformation of Soccer in Indonesia
Several FIFA officials attended the meeting, including project development-coordinator Niko Nhouvannasak and security head Serge Dumortier.
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The forensic identification team investigates the tragedy that killed hundreds of Aremania supporters at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, East Java, on Thursday (13/10/2022).
The government, FIFA and the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) have agreed to transform Indonesian soccer following the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy. A task force will be formed to enable this collaboration.
JAKARTA, KOMPAS - Several parties have affirmed their commitment to make improvements and evaluations in order to prevent the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy from recurring. The incident took place in Malang, East Java, and claimed 132 lives. These commitments can be seen by, among others, the formation of the Indonesian soccer transformation task force, which involves the government, and the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), and is facilitated by the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA).
“We agreed to form a task force consisting of representatives from PSSI and the Indonesian government, along with the support of FIFA and the AFC [Asian Football Confederation] to transform Indonesian soccer and improve public security, as instructed by President Joko [‘Jokowi’] Widodo,” said PSSI chairman Mochamad Iriawan following a meeting with representatives of the government, FIFA and AFC on Thursday (13/10/2022) in Jakarta.
Their attendance was a follow-up to President Jokowi’s discussion with FIFA president Gianni Infaninto over the phone regarding the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy last Monday (3/10).
Several FIFA officials attended the meeting, including project development-coordinator Niko Nhouvannasak and security head Serge Dumortier. Their attendance was a follow-up to President Jokowi’s discussion with FIFA president Gianni Infaninto over the phone regarding the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy last Monday (3/10).
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Transforming Indonesian soccer will include, among others, the synchronization of FIFA regulations regarding spectator safety, the improvement of supporting facilities in stadiums to meet FIFA standards and the standardization of medical services across all stadiums.
“We want to ensure that the [Kanjuruhan] incident does not happen again so that competitions can resume and the 2023 U-20 World Cup in Indonesia can run safely,” said Nhouvannasak.
Appreciated
When contacted separately, National Teams Supporters Association chairman Ignatius Indro expressed appreciation for the PSSI and government’s efforts to transform Indonesian soccer. According to Indro, this move is a big step forward from 2015, when PSSI was suspended by FIFA following a conflict with the government.
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The Forensic Identification Team of the National Police Headquarters is opening the doors of 14 Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang, East Java, on Thursday (13/10/2022).
“The Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy was also an extraordinary event. It couldn’t be managed by PSSI alone. Moreover, it is PSSI that has been considered an issue in soccer all this time,” said Indro, who continues to hope for sweeping changes in PSSI’s internal structure.
From Malang, it was reported that the Public Works and Housing (PUPR) Ministry found seven weak points at the Kanjuruhan Stadium where 132 people died following an Arema versus Persebaya match on 1 Oct. The stadium will be completely renovated to prevent a similar incident from occurring.
The seven weak points were conveyed by PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono on the last day of the audit in Kanjuruhan, yesterday. Of the seven points, three are believed to have contributed to the large number of casualties in the incident.
He explained that the unstandardized size of the stairs caused many people to fall, especially when it was dark and everyone was in a panic.
These three points include the spectator standing area that did not have any stairs, entry and exit gates as well as stairs that were far from ideal and the lack of emergency exits. He explained that the unstandardized size of the stairs caused many people to fall, especially when it was dark and everyone was in a panic.
“These three things are the main takeaways. Everything else, such as lighting and washrooms, do not meet the standards either; they are unsuitable. Even regarding the perimeter outside the stadium, there are no supporting [structures] so spectators arriving in vehicles just enter [the stadium] like that. It is not like other stadiums, such as Gelora Bung Karno and Manahan,” he added.
He explained that the results of his team’s audit have been reported to the joint independent fact-finding task force for the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy. A member of the task force, Akmal Marhali, said that his party had completed their task and will report the findings along with their recommendations to the President this Friday.
To be rebuilt
Following the audit, the PUPR Ministry will design and rebuild Kanjuruhan Stadium using funds allocated from the state budget (APBN).
According to the plan, the rebuilding will be carried out a year from 2023. All spectator stands will be equipped with a circular roof, like the Manahan Stadium in Surakarta, Central Java. The new stadium will also include a memorial for the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy.
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Door 13 of the stands of Kanjuruhan Stadium in Kepanjeng, Malang, East Java, still has a police line on it, on Tuesday (4/10/2022).
Aside from improvements to stadium infrastructure, the government will also improve the management of soccer supporters. Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali has also met with PSSI, club managers and four groups of supporters that often clash, namely fans of Arema, Persebaya, Persija Jakarta and Persib Bandung.
“Everyone has agreed that it [the Kanjuruhan Stadium tragedy] should not recur. We now have to plan what that looks like, in accordance with the law. In the new law [Law No. 11/2022] on sports, soccer supporters will have their rights and obligations regulated. We will socialize [the law] and ask for their commitment so that they can watch [soccer] safely and comfortably,” said Zainudin in Malang.
He added that the National Police has also come up with new security regulations that adopt FIFA regulations. The new regulations will be the standard for the police across the country. Previously, the police officers who were stationed at Kanjuruhan were highlighted and criticized by many parties, including those from abroad, for their use of tear gas to control crowds. It was said that the officers’ actions triggered panic among the spectators who then tried to scramble out of the stadium through narrow gates. (WER/Z08/Z10)
(This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia).
