Support Temporary Suspension Of League 1, President Director Of PSS Sleman: Opportunities To Evaluate And Improve

Arema FC supporters entered the field after the team they supported lost to Persebaya in the League 1 match at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang (Photo: ANtara)

JAKARTA - PSS Sleman management supports the competition operator's decision to temporarily stop the Indonesian League 1 related to the tragedy at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang Regency, East Java, which killed 125 people after the Arema FC and Persebaya matches, Saturday night.

"Regarding sanctions and the temporary suspension of competition, we think this is the best for now. So we all have the opportunity to evaluate and improve," said PT Putra Sleman Sembada (PT PSS) president director Andywardhana, quoted by Antara, Monday.

Andy hopes that this decision will make Indonesia's football matches in the future take place safely, friendlyly, and better.

"We have to realize that this can not only happen in Malang, this can happen anywhere if with conditions like this," he said.

However, he was reluctant to respond whether the league should be terminated or not.

According to him, the most important thing for now to be discussed is the deep sorrow and trauma felt by the fans.

"I don't want to comment on whether or not I agree with the termination of the League because in my opinion the most important thing for now is the grief and trauma of the families of the victims that we must attach importance to," he said.

Andy hopes that a similar tragedy will not be repeated in the future.

He asked that the incident be evaluated properly without blaming each other so that in the future the competition could be held even better.

"PSS Sleman expressed his condolences to the victims who died after the tragedy in Kanjuruhan last night. We are very sorry for this incident and of course we all have to take lessons from this incident," said Andywardhana.

PT Liga Indonesia Baru (LIB) stopped the Indonesian League 1 season 2022-2023 for one week after the riots that occurred at the Kanjuruhan Stadium, Malang Regency, after the Arema FC versus Persebaya match, Saturday (1/10).

"We announced the decision after we received a directive from the General Chairperson of PSSI (Mochamad Iriawan). This was done to respect all parties, while waiting for the investigation process from PSSI," said LIB President Director Akhmad Hadian Lukita in a press release in Jakarta, early Sunday.