Perpetrators Of Fixing The Score Arrested, Erick Thohir: Must Have Guts To Fight Bribes

PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir emphasized that he must have the guts to fight bribes in football (VOI/Gonang Susatyo).

JAKARTA - The Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force arrested an intellectual score-fixing actor. The police's decisive step has the support of the PSSI General Chair, Erick Thohir, who said he must have the guts to eradicate bribes.

Steps forward from the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force which detained three suspects for alleged match fixing bribery or match fixing.

PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir has again stated that strict enforcement and application of the law are the only options for building clean football.

Erick also appreciated the detention of the National Police against three suspects for alleged bribery in match fixing and recommendations for sentences from the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force against two clubs that played a match fixing.

"I once said, don't play games. PSSI is committed to the Police. We will investigate and if there is strong evidence, then immediately brush. Indiscriminately," said Erick Thohir in Jakarta, Thursday, December 21, 2023.

"If we want our football to be clean, especially since this has become a request from President Jokowi, then we must have the guts to eradicate bribes and gambling in our football," he said.

Currently, VW alias Vigit Waluyo, who is the intellectual actor behind the 2018 Liga 2 match, has been officially detained by the police.

In addition, the National Police arrested two other suspects, namely Dewanto Rahadmoyo Nugroho (DRN) who is the assistant manager of the club and Kartiko Mustikaningtyas (KM), after undergoing a series of investigations. They have been detained since Wednesday, December 20, 2023.

Previously, the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force had named eight suspects on charges of match fixing on the 2018 Liga 2 stage.

Head of the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force, Inspector General Asep Edi Suheri, said the suspects consisted of four referees each with the initials K, RP, AS, and R. Meanwhile, a courier with the initials GAS is still a DPO (wanted list).

"One lobbyist (eight suspect) with the initials VW, was conveyed by the National Police Chief," said Inspector General Asep at the press conference of the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force at the National Police Headquarters and the signing of the memorandum of understanding of the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force by the National Police and PSSI in Jakarta.

"I hope that enforcement and legal application actions for those who want to destroy Indonesian football will create a deterrent effect, as well as become a signal that PSSI, Polri, and the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force are very serious," Erick added.

"I want the participating clubs of all league competitions to be careful because the club can be punished if they are involved in match fixing," he said.

In addition, two participating clubs in Liga 1 2023/2024, PSS Sleman and Persikabo 1973, face sentences by Komdis PSSI after receiving recommendations from the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force.

PSS Sleman is currently in danger of reducing points as well as automatically relegating to Liga 2.

The potential threat is related to evidence of a match fixing case in the 2018 Liga 2 match between PSS Sleman vs Madura FC, as revealed by the Anti-Mafia Ball Task Force.

According to the applicable regulations of the three sanctions, it is believed that PSS Sleman will be threatened with relegation, even additional sanctions in the form of fines of up to IDR 150 million.

Meanwhile, specifically for Persikabo 1973, the club is threatened with sanctions for reducing points for receiving sponsors from online gambling sites.