Reported To The Criminal Investigation Unit Of The Indonesian National Police Regarding The Practice Of Practice In Football, Arema FC: We Need To Explain Our Position

Arema FC reported to the Criminal Investigation Police related to the practice of gambling in football. (Photo: Doc. Arema FC)

JAKARTA - League 1 club, Arema FC, decided to terminate the cooperation contract with one of the sponsors. This step was taken after being reported to the Criminal Investigation Police regarding the practice of gambling in football.

On the club's official website, Arema said that his party supports efforts to control and supervise sites that are strongly suspected of being a mode of gambling practice that is now rife on sites around sports.

Arema FC Business Manager, Yusiral Fitriandi said the club management apologized. "We need to emphasize that one of the sponsors from the beginning we conveyed that his entity was a national football site. And to share information, of course, it was needed," he said.

He also emphasized that Arema's management is not the manager of the site. For this reason, Arema does not have the authority and responsibility for the editorial policy of the content related to the site.

"We really respect that there are parties who report the content of the site that is considered to violate legal norms. And we certainly need to explain our position, only as a party that is offered to cooperate with advertising," Yusiral explained.

Yusiral emphasized that his party terminated the contract to respect the ongoing legal process. Club management will also start taking down the previously installed creatives

He said Arema FC will be proactive and cooperative. They also hope that this issue will be addressed objectively and wisely by many parties.

"Once again objectively, the club is only an object of site promotion, not a manager. Hopefully this explanation can provide an objective understanding for all," he concluded.

Previously reported, Arema FC was reported to the Criminal Investigation Police by a football lover Rio Johan Putra. Arema FC along with two other League 1 clubs, are considered to have violated Article 45 paragraph 2 of Law Number 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions in conjunction with Article 303 of the Criminal Code.

The criminal allegation committed is distributing and/or transmitting and/or making accessible electronic information containing gambling in conjunction with gambling or providing gambling opportunities as referred to in the article.

Indonesia Police Watch (IPW), as reported by Antara, Tuesday, August 23, assessed that Arema FC was promoting a gambling site because it collaborated with Bola88.fun which was said to be connected to the Bola88 gambling house.