Indonesia president: No FIFA consequences will be imposed

• Indonesian President Joko Widodo says Under-20 World Cup will continue to be held in Indonesia.
• Widodo also claims FIFA President Gianni Infantino has written to him about possible joint ventures.

FIFA, the organization that oversees soccer, will not penalize Indonesia for the police deployment of tear gas inside a crowded football stadium that caused a crush and panic that claimed 131 lives, including 17 children.

The Under-20 World Cup, which will feature 24 nations from five continents, will continue to be held in Indonesia, according to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who also claimed that FIFA President Gianni Infantino has written to him about possible joint ventures between FIFA and Indonesia.

Thank God, according to the letter, Indonesian football is not sanctioned by FIFA, Widodo stated late on Friday night in a video released on the presidential office’s YouTube page.

On Wednesday, Widodo visited the Kanjuruhan football stadium in Malang, East Java, where he claimed that locked gates were a factor in the 131 fatalities that occurred after the match between bitter rivals Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya on October 1.

Following the defeat of the local team Arema, supporters surrounded the field, and police used tear gas to quell what they termed “riots.”

As anxious fans attempted to flee gates that numerous witnesses reported Al Jazeera were either shut or barred by police, the choking gas clouds started a stampede.

Some spectators were crushed to death while others suffocated in the commotion. Two police officers were among the at least 34 persons who passed away at the stadium. Many people later died from their wounds.

FIFA discourages the use of tear gas inside or near stadiums in its security guidelines for football games, and it also suggests leaving the exit gates accessible at all times while a game is in progress.

Widodo added that the Indonesian government had consented to work with FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation to enhance stadium security in order to avert further tragedies.

He added that FIFA’s Infantino would soon travel to Indonesia.

Most hazardous

As one of the riskiest nations in which to watch football, Indonesia’s national football organization, known locally as PSSI, has long struggled to oversee the domestic sport.

Gaining the right to host the U-20 World Cup in 2017 was a significant step forward for Indonesian football, increasing expectations that a successful tournament would address long-standing issues that have hampered the sport in the country of more than 277 million people.

The domestic league has been stopped since the tragic events of last weekend.

Widodo mandated a thorough inquiry into the fatal stadium crush from the sports minister, the national police chief, and the football federation.

On Thursday, Indonesia’s national police commander announced that six people, including three police officers, will face criminal prosecution since the stadium’s operation certificate was invalid.

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