Preparation For The U-20 World Cup: Tinjau Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium Surabaya, Menpora Calls Lacks Only In Grass

Menpora Zainudin Amali reviewed the Bung Tomo Stadium in Surabaya, which will be the arena for the 2023 U-20 World Cup. (Kemenpora/Egan)

JAKARTA - Minister of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Indonesia (Menpora RI) Zainudin Amali accompanied by the Mayor of Surabaya Eri Cahyadi, inspected the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (GBT) Surabaya, East Java, Saturday (15/10) afternoon. The GBT Stadium will be prepared for the U-20 World Cup next year.

Menpora Amali, who was accompanied by the Deputy Chairperson of the PSSI East Java Provincial Association (Asprov) Amir Burhannudin, checked the condition of the grass field, continued to review all spaces and supporting facilities for the stadium. As a result, Menpora Amali stated that the GBT Stadium would still be listed by FIFA as the venue for the U-20 World Cup.

"This is an inspection work with the aim of ensuring. Why did I come here to Surabaya because some time ago it developed that GBT was not used. Now my arrival here ensures that FIFA still lists GBT as one of the six stadiums to be used for the FIFA World Cup U-20 2023, that's one," Amali said, quoted from the kemenpora.go.id website.

The second was mentioned by him, that in the Presidential Decree, the person in charge of organizing the Minister of Youth and Sports, the Minister of PUPR infrastructure, the achievements of the national team were the General Chairperson of PSSI. In the capacity as the person in charge of the implementation, Menpora Amali continues to regularly come and monitor developments.

"So now I have to come to make sure one by one the city stadium where the FIFA World Cup U-20 is held in 2023. What I see now in GBT is certainly different from what I have seen before. We saw and several times we went to GBT Surabaya East Java is indeed feasible in the list of venues that will be used for the U-20 World Cup," added Amali.

After thoroughly reviewing the Gelora Bung Tomo Stadium (SGBT) Surabaya, Amali said that overall there were no problems, only minor notes, one of which was grass.

"I've been around as the picture from the beginning of getting on the bus, players entering the dressing room, then to several places. Indeed, there are notes such as grass and various other notes but that's minor, it's not a major note that worries us," Amali said, quoted from the Kemenpora website.

It is about grass because it was originally prepared for 2021 but due to the FIFA pandemic it has postponed until 2023. There is a policy that sports activities can be used, but when repairs and maintenance are held again to prepare for the U-20 World Cup for the time being, other parties cannot use it.

"So you see, this stadium is being prepared for 2021, but FIFA has postponed in 2023, so there is a policy that it can be used and for sure grass needs repair and maintenance again, and I as the person in charge of the implementation have sent a letter to FIFA that renovations will begin, God willing, by the end of October," said Menpora Zainudin Amali.