Standard stadiums with proper facilities will ensure the safety of athletes and supporters
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang district, East Java, will be demolished and a new stadium will be built at the site in accordance with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) standards, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has affirmed.

"FIFA has lauded (our plan) for the Kanjuruhan Stadium in Malang, which we will demolish and rebuild according to FIFA standards," he said in a joint statement with FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the Merdeka Palace here on Tuesday.

According to the President, the stadium will be rebuilt with better facilities and will become an exemplary stadium in Indonesia in terms of maintaining the safety of visitors, athletes, and supporters.

"Standard stadiums with proper facilities will ensure the safety of athletes and supporters," he noted.

The central government will provide the budget for demolishing and rebuilding the stadium, Jokowi added.

The meeting between Jokowi and Infantino on Tuesday produced a joint agreement to reform national football following the Kanjuruhan Stadium disaster of October 1, 2022, which claimed 133 lives.

During their meeting, Jokowi and Infantino also discussed various aspects of the national football sector, including stadium management, football match safety management, as well as match and supporter management.

The President affirmed that FIFA would invest in various aspects to improve Indonesia's football, including in the implementation of safety standards for football matches and football supporters, stadiums, and football school development.

"FIFA president Gianni Infantino said that FIFA wants to invest a lot in the stadium, safety, supporter, and football school aspects in Indonesia," he said.

To support Indonesia’s football transformation, FIFA has agreed to set up a special office in Indonesia, which the government is committed to providing, he added.

During the meeting with the FIFA president, Jokowi was accompanied by Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir.

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Translator: Indra Arief P, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Sri Haryati
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