Jakarta (ANTARA) - Global players' union FIFpro has urged Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and the Asian Football Federation (AFC) to intervene in the cancellation of domestic leagues Liga 2 and Liga 3 by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).
“FIFA and AFC should intervene as this terrible decision has a serious impact on the lives and careers of around 700 professional footballers in Indonesia who have a contract with Liga 2 clubs,” FIFpro's deputy secretary general, Simon Colosimo, said in a statement issued on Thursday.
FIFpro stressed that the decision to cancel the league was “disturbing” as there were no negotiations or consultations conducted with Indonesia’s players' association (APPI). Moreover, the decision will affect around 700 professional players.
Furthermore, the cancellation of Liga 2 will leave Indonesian football without a relegation system, which is not in line with the FIFA structure, it stated. “FIFpro urges FIFA and AFC to intervene in this situation and find a suitable solution together with the PSSI (Football Association of Indonesia) and players association APPI to ensure that Liga 2 can continue,” it added.
The domestic league in Indonesia was suspended earlier following the Kanjuruhan Stadium stampede in October last year. PSSI successfully organized the restart of the top-tier league, Liga 1, on December 2022 after intense consultations with the government and the Indonesian police.
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The federation had earlier promised that it would continue the Liga 2 and Liga 3 season from January 14, 2023. However, PSSI opted to stop the 2022/2023 Liga 2 and Liga 3 seasons based on the results of a PSSI executive committee (Exco) meeting on January 12.
According to the PSSI, the league and clubs are facing financial problems in complying with the new safety regulations put in place after the Kanjuruhan tragedy. PSSI also stated that the cancellation was based on the requests of the majority of the Liga 2 clubs.
After a meeting on January 24, PSSI said that it will decide on the continuation of the league at the PSSI Extraordinary Congress on February 16, the same day as the PSSI elections. The congress will elect the general chairman, deputy chairperson, as well as members of the PSSI Exco for the 2023–2027 period.