PDI-P Secretary General Admits Obtaining Information on Indonesia Is Considered Violating Ethics by FIFA

PDI-P Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto said he received information that Indonesia was considered to have committed a serious ethical violation by the International Football Federation (FIFA). 

"I received A1 information, this is said to be categorized as a serious ethical violation from FIFA, I apologize if I am wrong," said Hasto in the Gaspol! program. Kompas.com, Wednesday (5/4/2023). 

Hasto said, there were three things that were done by Indonesia which were considered to violate ethics by FIFA. 

The first is the attitude of the former Minister of Youth and Sports Zainudin Amali who announced that Indonesia would host the U-20 World Cup ahead of FIFA. 

"The first was when the Menpora Zainudin Amali announced that because he was so happy that Indonesia was hosting the U-20 (World Cup) ahead of FIFA, he was offended by FIFA, so there was a violation of ethics," said Hasto. 

The second ethical violation, said Hasto, was related to the appointment of Arya Sinulingga as the Executive Committee of the All Indonesian Football Association (PSSI). However, Hasto did not explain the reasons why Arya's appointment was considered a problem by FIFA. 

"Secondly, when you appointed Brother Arya Sinulingga as exco, he said, yes, I'm very sorry if I'm wrong, but this is an alignment," said Hasto. 

Third, Hasto said, FIFA was getting furious because PSSI through Arya had earlier announced that FIFA had canceled the draw for the U-20 World Cup which was supposed to be held on March 31, 2023. 

"Third, when Pak Arya Sinulingga announced that the draw was cancelled, this was without the presence of FIFA, there is no letter now from FIFA, this is what created the big expansion," said Hasto. 

Meanwhile, FIFA itself has stated that Indonesia is threatened with sanctions after canceling the hosting of the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. 

PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir also admitted that he had been ordered by President Joko Widodo to lobby FIFA so that Indonesia would not be sanctioned. 

He said the heaviest sanction that could be accepted was a ban on the national team and clubs from Indonesia from participating in international tournaments. 

"(The president instructed to) re-open talks with FIFA so that we remain part of the big FIFA family, which we know that FIFA itself has a total of 216 members from various countries, one of which is us," Erick said after meeting Jokowi at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta,Friday (31/3/2023). 

"So it can be interpreted that the president does not want us to be isolated from the map of world football," he said.