Persis Solo Reveals Reasons For Leaving Sananta To The 2023 Asian Games, Alludes To Sanctions

Persis Solo player, Ramadhan Sananta, joined the U-24 Indonesian national team. (Photo: Twitter/@persisofficial)

JAKARTA - Persis Solo ensured that Ramadhan Sananta joined the U-24 squad at the 2023 Asian Games. This decision was conveyed by Persis through their official website on Monday, September 25.

In the same statement, Persis also reported that Sananta departed for Hangzhou, China on Monday night WIB.

"(Ramadhan) Sananta will join the U-24 National Team for the last 16 of the Asian Games. Based on coordination between the club and the U-24 National Team, Persis decided to send Ramadan Sananta to strengthen Garuda Muda in the last 16 of the Asian Games. Sananta left for Hangzhou to follow the U-24 national team squad as of today, Monday (25 September)," Persis was quoted as saying on the same day.

Previously, Persis had detained Sananta to strengthen the U-24 national team at the 2023 Asian Games. Their reason was quite strong because the team at that time was indeed in the attacking crisis.

Persis' decision to detain Sananta made PSSI urged to give punishment to the club based at Manahan Stadium. The pressure was revealed by one of the national football observers through social media.

Regarding the sanctions that began to echo on social media, Persis denied that they are now releasing Sananta for fear of being sanctioned by PSSI.

"Persis' attitude towards releasing Sananta is not because it is based on the motive to avoid punishment such as the baseless narrative conveyed by observers in the media some time ago, but because of the club's consideration that the national team is in need of Sananta based on the team's performance in the Asian Games preliminary round," the statement continued.

"We appreciate the decision of the PSSI General Chairperson (Erick Thohir) who is committed to improving the league schedule so that it does not conflict with the national team schedule in the future. Because for Persis, this decision can be a middle ground for shared interests," Persis added,

The presence of Sananta is very much needed by the U-24 Indonesian national team at the 2023 Asian Games after ensuring that they qualify for the round of 16. Nearby Indonesia will face Uzbekistan on Thursday, September 28 in the quarter-finals.