"We cannot force ourselves (to compete) in this kind of situation. What we are facing now is beyond the coaches, the federation, and the government's will," Zainudin Amali remarked, according to a post on the Youth and Sports Ministry's official website on Friday.
The minister urged PSSI to focus on assisting players who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, while expressing confidence that the players will recover quickly.
"As when some athletes were infected (with COVID-19) during the PON National Games XX in Papua, yet they quickly recovered because the athletes were physically in their prime and they had all received their vaccine," he recalled.
Earlier, the national football association informed that the decision to withdraw the national U-23 team from the championship was made as most team players had tested COVID-19 positive, were placed under mandatory self-isolation, or were undergoing medical treatment for injuries.
"It is with much regret that we must withdraw Indonesia's participation at the AFF U-23 Championship. We express our apology because the current situation is beyond our will. We are currently focused on assisting the recovery of athletes who are diagnosed with COVID-19 or injured," PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi said.
Seven athletes from the team have been confirmed COVID-19 positive— Ahmad Figo Ramadhani, Braif Fatari, Cahya Supriyadi, Irfan Jauhari, Muhammad Ferrari, Ronaldo Joybera Junior, and Taufik Hidayat—along with one team official, he informed.
Related news: Ministry to create roadmap for national soccer's international acclaim
Meanwhile, Alfeandra Dewangga, Genta Alparedo, Marcelino Ferdinan, and Muhammad Kanu Helmiawan have been placed under self-isolation as they had come in contact with those testing COVID-19 positive, the secretary general said.
Moreover, three players, Gunansar Mandowen, Muhammad Iqbal, and Ramai Rumakiek, are currently undergoing treatment after being injured during the Liga 1 championship, he said.
The national U-23 team was completely depleted after the last and only player available, Muhammad Riyandi, had to proceed on a 10-day quarantine, Nusi added.
Related news: Papua PON host bags gold in women's soccer
Translator: Michael Siahaan, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
