Jakarta, The Indonesia post – The Indonesian Minister of SOEs BUMN, who is also the candidate for General Chair of Indonesian Football Association(PSSI), Erick Thohir, said that solidarity is needed to build football in Indonesia in a better direction.
“Sometimes there is a dichotomy between sport and the government. It’s impossible when you want to build something, the government, society, other associations, it’s uncomfortable,” said Erick during his visit to Pura Mangkunegaran Solo, Saturday.
In this case, he continued, all parties must unite and work together to develop a plan to build football. He also invited all parties to follow the example of Japan, which had drawn up a blueprint for building Japanese football since 1991.
“There, playing football is not individualistic, but back and forth like waves. There the players even make sure the lockers are clean, the audience is the same way. This is culture,” he added.
According to him, Indonesian football must unify the nation and not divide unity.
“Every time there is a football match people are afraid, parents are afraid that their children who are supporters will not come home. Don’t let football become sadness, not happiness, parents lose their children, older brothers lose younger siblings, younger siblings lose older siblings,” he said.
The former President of Inter Milan emphasized that in order to realize clean football, technology is needed so that matches do not rely solely on the referee.
“You can’t blame everything on the referees. Referees are also human beings, pinched in pain, must be coached, the economy is good or not, education is good or not, including regarding the refereeing. The point is clean football must be built,” he explained.
Meanwhile, regarding his candidacy as Chair of PSSI for the 2023-2026 period, he said he was waiting for the PSSI Extraordinary Congress (KLB), 16 February.
“If voters (voters) have the same heart as mine, want to build clean football, be unifying, make happy, then come on. It’s all the same, not because of me. The election is individual, you know, there is a chairman, deputy chairman, exco, meaning there must be togetherness,” he said.
He said the registration had been carried out and there were five candidates for general chairman, one of whom was the Chairman of the RI DPD LaNyalla Mattalitti.
“Later we will listen to these candidates, we respect those who win, those who lose, that’s okay, I have to lose. It’s not impossible for me to lose, it’s called election,” concluded Erick Thohir. (mhn/bbs)
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