President Joko Widodo speaks to the media at JIEXPO Kemayoran, Jakarta, on Thursday (February 16, 2023). (ANTARA/Rangga Pandu Asmara Jingga/uyu)
The government did not engage in there (the selection process), in accordance with the (FIFA) statutes,Jakarta (ANTARA) – President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said he expects State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir, who has been selected as chairperson of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), to reform the association completely.
“We (the government) hope that the new chairperson can carry out a total reformation (of PSSI). This is our hope so that our soccer (activities) can revive,” he told the media at JIEXPO Kemayoran here on Thursday.
The President said he also expects the SOEs Minister to gradually improve the performance of the national football team, starting with championships at the ASEAN level and then Asia.
Furthermore, he emphasized that the government did not interfere with the PSSI chairperson election process.
“The government did not engage in there (the selection process), in accordance with the (FIFA) statutes,” he stressed.
Thohir was selected as the chairperson of PSSI during an extraordinary congress held at a Jakarta hotel on Thursday after obtaining 64 votes. His closest contender LaNyalla Mattalitti won 22 votes.
Meanwhile, other candidates, Arif Wicaksono and Doni Setiabudi, did not receive any votes.
The voters included 18 soccer clubs from Indonesian League 1, 16 clubs from League 2, 16 clubs from League 3, 34 provincial football associations, two futsal associations, and one futsal federation.
The SOEs Minister is known to have professional experience in the football industry.
He was the director of finance of Persija Jakarta in the 2000s. He served as the deputy president commissioner of PT Persib Bandung Bermartabat (PBB) from 2009 to 2019.
Thohir was also the owner and president of Inter Milan, a prominent European club, from 2013–2018.
He improved the management of the club, which was in a slump at that time, and secured investment from Suning Holdings Group of China.
He was also a majority shareholder of DC United, an American Major League Soccer (MLS) club until 2018.
He has owned some shares of Persis Solo since 2021.
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Translator: Desca Natalia, Uyu LimanEditor: Tia Mutiasari Copyright © ANTARA 2023