JAKARTA The Indonesian National Olympic Committee (NOC) or the Indonesian Olympic Committee appreciates PSSI's decision to postpone the remaining 2023/2024 Liga 1 matches in order to catch a ticket to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics for soccer (sports).
PSSI has decided to postpone the highest level competition in Indonesia from April 1 to May 3, 2024. The postponement was decided through the PSSI Executive Committee meeting which was held on Saturday, March 30, 2024.
"This step is very appropriate because the national or red-and-white interests are greater than personal and group interests," said President of NOC Indonesia, Raja Sapta Oktohari.
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PSSI's decision was made so that competition participating clubs could release their players to appear with the U-23 Indonesian national team in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup.
Previously, there had been a polemic regarding the summoning of players for the needs of the tournament. League 1 clubs were reluctant to release their players to the U-23 Indonesian national team because they were entering the final week of the competition.
However, with the postponement of the competition, the coaching team will automatically have no trouble calling in the players needed to take part in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup. This postponement makes the club have no excuse not to let go of their players.
The 2024 U-23 Asian Cup is very important for the U-23 Indonesian national team because it is the qualification for soccer to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
To qualify for Paris, the U-23 Indonesian national team at least won third place in the 2024 U-23 Asian Cup.
If they lose in the race for third place, Garuda Muda will have to play a playoffs against Africa's representative, Guinea, who is in fourth place in the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
"As Indonesian people, we must support the U-23 Indonesian national team's struggle to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. If this happens, this can be a new history for Indonesian football," said Okto, Raja Sapta Oktohari's nickname.
Throughout history, the Indonesian national team has only qualified once and appeared in the Olympics, namely at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
At that time, the steps taken by the Indonesian national team, which Tony Pogacknik coached, stopped in the quarter-finals after being defeated by the USSR 0-4 in the match which was held at the Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne.
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