We must make football a unifying sport which is fun -- not a scary and dreadful one.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Chairperson Mochamad Iriawan said that his party proposed October 1 as a holiday for all national football activities to honor the victims of the Kanjuruhan Stampede.

"As a response and (to show) seriousness of PSSI regarding the Kanjuruhan tragedy, we invite all parties (to support) that every October 1 to become an Indonesian football holiday. Hopefully, everyone agrees," he remarked at PSSI Ordinary Congress 2023, here, on Sunday.

He stated that the tragedy, which occurred on October 1, 2022, claimed 135 lives, and injured hundreds of others, had caused a deep wound for himself, personally, and PSSI.

All the victims of the stampede were football heroes, he noted.

"They are all heroes. Football without supporters is incomplete. The spectators’ support is always extraordinary," the PSSI chairperson continued.

If October 1 is passed as a holiday of football activities, the momentum will also serve as a reminder to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

"We must make football a unifying sport which is fun, not a scary and dreadful one," he said.

The PSSI Ordinary Congress, which started at 02.00 p.m. Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB) on Sunday, was attended by the representatives of the 87 PSSI members who owned the voting rights in the congress.

The main agenda of the congress was to determine the members of the Election Committee (KP) and the Election Appeals Committee (KBP).

The committees will manage the implementation of the elections for PSSI’s chairperson, deputy chairperson, as well as Executive Committee (Exco) members for the 2023-2027 period.

The election will be held on concurrently with the implementation of PSSI Extraordinary Congress on February 16, 2023.

In addition to establishing the KP and KBP, the PSSI Ordinary Congress will also ratify PSSI’s 2022 activity and financial reports as well as the 2023 program and budget plans.

Speaker of the Regional Representative Council (DPD) A. A. La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti and State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir have registered as the candidates for PSSI chairperson for the 2023-2027 period.

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Translator: Michael Siahaan, Uyu Liman
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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