Indonesian officials have met with FIFA president Gianni Infantino in Zurich in a bid to end the crisis engulfing football in the Southeast Asian nation.
It’s been nearly a year since FIFA slapped Indonesia with a ban from international football, leaving players, coaches and clubs in limbo.
FIFA took action after a feud between Indonesia’s football association, known as the PSSI, and its sports ministry saw the country’s top-flight tournament suspended.
FIFA takes a dim view of governments interfering in domestic associations, and issued the ban after repeated warnings.
Infantino met Tuesday with Agum Gumelar, the head of the PSSI’s interim reform committee, and Erick Thohir, chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee and owner of Italian club Inter Milan, to discuss the crisis.
“In-depth and very fruitful discussions were held and all parties shared the genuine desire to resolve the suspension of the PSSI as soon as possible,” FIFA said in a statement posted on its website.
The football federation said it remained “ready to assist” Indonesia’s domestic football league throughout this process and hoped to bring Indonesia back to the international fold.
Despite the ban, Indonesia earlier this month expressed interest in hosting the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. It has also launched an interim football league, to start later this month, as a substitute until the disagreement is resolved. – Agence France-Presse
