Continue With League 1, Observers Say PSSI Ignore The Covid-19 Transmission Curve

Illustration of the opening of Liga 1 (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - League 1 will roll back in October. Football observer Anton Sanjoyo thinks PSSI is pushing itself too much and seems to ignore the COVID-19 transmission curve in the country that has not shown any signs of decreasing.

"There is an environment that PSSI and PT. LIB cannot handle, first the transmission curve which we don't know when it will slope," Anton said in an online discussion quoted from Antara, Wednesday, July 29.

"The problem is not only coordination, making the competition to be continued is easy. But what about this extraordinary atmosphere the safety of the players is maintained. So that there are no clusters in football," Anton added.

He then compared the leagues in the Blue Continent which could return to running competitions such as England, Germany and other European countries. According to him, the federation there has carefully calculated the consequences it will face.

On the one hand, the controllable curve of transmission is an important factor for the federation to restart competition.

"England, Germany can do it because the curve has gone down. We know that Germany is very disciplined and is so extraordinary in maintaining the players. Second, the test can be 3-4 times a week and it is carried out strictly," he said.

Meanwhile, in the Indonesian competition, medical tests have yet to find a common ground, even though PSSI has planned to endure a rapid test.

He also urged PSSI and PT. LIB if it remains determined to continue the league to implement strict health protocols. Because, he said, football could be held again at any time, while lives could not be returned.

"That any football in the world is not more important than life. Football is important, football must work, but what is the protocol, don't sacrifice your life," he said.