JAKARTA ~

The International Football Federation (FIFA) has officially given a sanction to the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) for violating its statutes.

“With all due respect, we convey that the FIFA Executive Committee has decided in line with Article 14 Paragraph 1 of the FIFA Statute that the PSSI has been given a sanction with immediate effect till it is able to meet articles 13 and 17 of the statute,” FIFA said in its letter to the PSSI on Saturday.

The PSSI has been considered violating articles 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statute due to intervention by outside parties, in this case the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and the Indonesia Professional Sports Agency (BOPI).

“The executive committee of FIFA decided that the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs and BOPI interfered in the affairs of the PSSI board and made the association violate articles 13 and 17 of the FIFA Statute,” the letter signed by Secretary General of FIFA Jerone Valcke stated.

With the sanction, the PSSI will lose its membership and the Indonesian team will not be allowed to participate in international-level events organized by FIFA and the Asia Football Confederation (AFC).

“While the sanction is still effective, the PSSI will lose its membership rights and all teams in Indonesia (clubs and the national team) may not take part in international competitions held by FIFA and AFC,” the letter elaborated.

The PSSI will also have no right to enjoy advantages from FIFA or AFC, such as development programs, courses or training, while the sanction is still effective, it further said.

However, FIFA has permitted the country’s U-23 national team to participate in the Southeast Asian Games 2015 in Singapore.

The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (Kemenpora) has said it will be responsible for the sanction imposed by the international football organization FIFA on the All-Indonesia Football Association (PSSI).

“We will work fast in order to achieve a more comprehensive, transparent and objective grand strategy with a target to achieve a significant achievement through the rearrangement of the Indonesian national football management system,” Kemenpora’s Deputy V for Partnership and Harmonization Affairs Gatot S Dewa Broto said here on Sunday.