JAKARTA - The Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, apologized to all the U-20 Indonesian national team players after Indonesia was canceled from hosting the U-20 World Cup. Ganjar admitted that he had contributed to the sadness felt by the Garuda Nusantara players.
He conveyed this in an interview with Najwa Shibab on Mata Najwa's YouTube account which was released Tuesday, April 4.
"I can understand the feelings of younger siblings in the U-20 national team and Indonesian football fans. In this context I apologize to them. Keep up the enthusiasm, keep moving forward," said Ganjar when asked if he felt guilty about Indonesia's failure to host the U-20 World Cup.
As has been widely reported, Ganjar's statement against the Israeli team's arrival was accused of being one of the reasons FIFA revoked Indonesia's host status.
"Of course, maybe, it's associated with us being able to contribute a little or a lot in the non-occurrence of this event," said the politician from the PDI Perjuangan Party.
"But in another context, we have an attitude that I have to convey to the public. So for the younger siblings, I'm sorry, keep practicing," he continued.
When it was emphasized, in what context did Ganjar apologize, he replied, "In that context they cannot play."
Ganjar did not see his statement as the cause of the failure of the U-20 World Cup to take place in Indonesia. According to him, he does not have the authority to make a statement so as to derail a job as big as the World Cup.
According to him, the decision was purely a decision by FIFA which had communicated with Indonesia Football Association (PSSI). "Surely they will have prepared everything," said Ganjar.
"In my statement, as a party cadre, I told a story about its history, what are the potentials that could harm them. So we encourage U-20 to run, (remember) it can run, it can be held without Israel," he continued.
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