Imam Nahrawi, Youth & Sports Minister:
Indonesian football needs a total overhaul

YOUTH and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi was in Wollongong, Australia when the bad news hit him on April 10. The world football association FIFA, through its secretary-general Jerome Valcke, had sent Nahrawi a scorching letter. It asked the government not to interfere in the affairs of the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI).

FIFA sent the letter after an unending dispute about the participation of two football clubs which failed to pass the verification test of the Indonesian Professional Football Board (BOPI) to compete in the Qatar National Bank League 2015 (previously the Indonesian Super League). The clubs were Persebaya and Arema Cronus. According to FIFA, the government through BOPI forced the additional criteria so that the clubs could take part in the competition. FIFA said that was the authority of the PSSI, as the extended arm of that international association.

April 21, 2015