"Both Mr. Vice President and I have the same wish to revamp the PSSI," he said at the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta on Saturday, shortly after arriving from a working visit to Sulawesi Island from May 28 to 30.
The president touched on the Indonesian football teams achievements in the past decade.
"Indonesia did not qualify for the World Cup. In the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Cup, it only reached the first round in 2004 and did not qualify in 2011," he pointed out.
In FIFA world rankings, Indonesia stood at the 156th position in 2012, 161st in 2013, and 159th in 2014, Jokowi noted.
"Do we want to participate in international events and make accomplishments? If we continue to take part in international events only to lose, what can we be proud of?" he remarked.
Jokowi stated that if they do not revamp the PSSI, there will be no change in its achievements.
"A complete revamp means total reform of its organization, system and management. At the players level, I think they have performed well, but they still need to improve," Jokowi observed.
The PSSI came under the spotlight after the youth and sports affairs minister issued a decree suspending it.
However, a panel of judges of the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in East Jakarta decided earlier this week to suspend the decree on imposing an administrative sanction on the PSSI.
The judges were of the view that suspending domestic tournaments, including the Indonesia Super League, and both Premier Division and Division One games, will inflict great losses on the PSSI and PT Liga Indonesia, the organizer of professional soccer competitions in the country.
Moreover, the continuation of the livelihood of players, coaches, officials, umpires and other people will also be threatened, the judges pointed out.
(T.S012/B/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2015
