Maluku provincial board All Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) chairman Dirk Soplanit said here on Tuesday that Giovani`s planned visit to Ambon was part of so-called "Indonesia Tanah Air Beta" (My Homeland Indonesia) program.
Soplanit confirmed that the assistant coach at the Feyenoord club and the television commentator in Dutch soccer match would visit Maluku provincial city of Ambon.
"I have received a faximile from PSSI about the visit to Indonesia by 20 Dutch football players of Indonesia origin, and one of them is Giovani van Bronkhost whose mother is from Maluku," Soplanit said.
He said the 20 football players from the Netherlands would visit Indonesia at the invitation of Indonesian government.
"It is said in the faximile I received from the PSSI that Giovani and his colleagues are scheduled to meet with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in Jakarta," Soplanit said.
He said preparation for the visit to Ambon by Giovani and his colleagues has been made and would be reported to Maluku Governor Karel Albert Ralahalu who is concurrently the chairman of Maluku National Sports Council (KONI).
"We are going to report to the governor today (Tuesday) about the preparation for the visit to Ambon by Giovani and his colleagues from the Netherlands," Soplanit said, adding that Giovani`s fans in Maluku were looking forward to meeting the Dutch soccer star.
According to him, Giovani and friends would stay at Aston Hotel at Natsepa Beach resort in Suli village during the visit.
Soplanit said they were also scheduled to carry out friendly matches with "Maluku Old Star" soccer team, to provide soccer training to the players of early age, to visit Pombo island tourism resort, and to do other activities.
(Uu.O001/HAJM/P003)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
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