PSS Sleman Threatened With Relegation In The Case Of Match Fixing

PSS Sleman is threatened with degradation in the aftermath of the match fixing case (doc. PSS Sleman).

JAKARTA The Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force has revealed a match fixing case that occurred in one of the 2018 Liga 2 matches.

Judging from the evidence presented by the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force on Wednesday, December 13, 2023, the match that was considered to have a match fixing content was PSS Sleman vs Madura FC.

The match occurred in the last eight of Liga 2 2018 which was held at Maguwoharjo Stadium, Sleman, November 6, 2018.

There were several irregularities, ranging from the goals of Madura FC player, Usman Pribadi, which were disallowed by the referee because they were considered to have been trapped offside first. If you look at the replay, the player is in an onside position when receiving the ball.

Another oddity is the change of referee M. Reza Pahlevi who was replaced by reserve referee Agung Setiawan in the middle of the match because Reza was injured. This also had time to ask questions and polemics.

Finally, irregularities emerged when PSS scored in the 81st minute. The goal came from an own goal by Madura FC defender Muhammad Choirul Rifan, who tried to block PSS player Ilhamul Irhas' cross.

There is controversy over the process of the goal. Ilhamul Irhas was already in an offside position when he received a through ball.

However, at that time, the referee's assistant did not raise the offside flag. The Great Referee, who was in an ideal position, saw the linesman, but then approved the goal.

So far, the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force has named eight suspects in the match fixing case. Vigit Waluyo with the initials (VW), as well as the referees who served in the match, namely M. Reza Pahlevi, Agung Setiawan, Khairuddin, and Ratawi.

The other three people are Dewanto Rahadmoyo Nugroho (who was then PSS assistant manager), Kartiko Mustikaningtyas (LO referee), and one person who is still a DPO, namely Gregorius Andy Setyo.

The first disclosure is a match fixing case which we later found there were efforts to match the score so that the club passed the relegation. This is all the result of intelligence data."

"There is one intellectual actor, his name is quite poor across, the initials VW. Thank God, we can reveal this," said National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo at the National Police Headquarters on Wednesday, December 13, 2023.

"In general, we indicate that the club lobbies the match equipment to win the club. The club has spent Rp1 billion to lobby the referee, there are 19 witnesses and 8 suspects," said Head of the Antimafia Bola Task Force, Asep Edi Suheri.

Meanwhile, Vigit, who is considered an intellectual actor, has actually been banned by PSSI from being involved in football for life because of this problem in 2019. This time he was charged with state law because of his actions.

"We have secured the evidence, we have sent the case file to the Attorney General's Office. We are waiting for the P21 file order, we will show the VW suspect," said Asep.

Asep further said that Vigit Waluyo had been examined twice and he was sick.

"If it is P21, it will be transferred to the court," he explained.

So far, the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force has detained three suspects, namely suspects VW, DRN, and KM after the examination today, Wednesday, December 20, 2023.

Meanwhile, apart from individuals, this case can also have an impact on the clubs involved, namely PSS Sleman and Madura FC.

In terms of football, PSS Sleman is likely to be punished with relegation. This refers to Article 64 concerning Corruption Points 1 and 5 of the PSSI Disciplinary Code 2023.

At Point 1 it is written, Anyone who commits bad behavior is involved in bribery, either by offering, promising or borrowing certain profits by giving or receiving a sum of money or something that is not money but can be judged by means of any means and mechanism to or by the match equipment, PSSI administrators, officials, players, and/or anyone related to football activities or third parties either done in the personal name or on behalf of the third party itself to cheat or to commit violations against PSSI regulations including the PSSI Disciplinary Code with the intention of influencing the outcome of the match, must be given sanctions.'

Then on point 5 it is written, Klub or agency whose members (players and/or officials) commit violations as regulated in Paragraph (1) and these violations are carried out systematically (an example: carried out jointly by several members of the club or agency) can be subject to sanctions: A. Discualization, for non-Liga 1 and non-Liga 2 clubs, B. Degradation, for League 1 and League 2 participating clubs. C. Fines of at least Rp150,000,000, - (one hundred and fifty million rupiahs).

This is reinforced again by Article 72 concerning Illegal Match Manipulation Point 5, The club or agency that has been systematically proven (an example: violations committed on orders or with the knowledge of the club leadership, carried out jointly by several members of the club or agency) committed a conspiracy to change the outcome of the match as referred to in Paragraph (1) above, sanctioned with (i) a fine of at least Rp500,000,000 (five hundred million rupiah) and (ii) a degraded sanction, and (iii) a reward return.

Referring to the PSSI 2023 Disciplinary Code, PSS, which is currently a participation of Liga 1 clubs, allows them to be sanctioned for relegation.

Meanwhile, Madura FC is not certain about its fate now. You see, they are also not registered in the 2023 East Java 3 League.

In addition, based on Article 43 of the 2023 Disciplinary Code on the Time Limit to Trial Discipline Violations, it was stated that even though it had occurred in 2018 and it was only decided that there would be a match fixing in 2023, regarding corruption cases (in this case match fixing included) there was no time limit. This means that sanctions can still be applied by the PSSI Disciplinary Committee.