Indonesia's 2006 cup winner, Arema Malang FC from East Java province, has demanded the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) explain its role in the debacle that lead to the club being disqualified from the Asian Football Confederation's Champions League competition. "The club is demanding that PSSI account for its failure to forward the documents in time," a spokesman for Arema, Taufan, told AFP newsagency.
He said that the deadline for the submission of the documents to the AFC was 12 February and Arema submitted its paperwork to the BLI (the national league's autonomous management board) three days earlier. He did not know if the paperwork was forwarded to the PSSI.
Taufan said that the club had no immediate plans to take legal action. "For the moment, we just want PSSI to account for the incident," he said.
"We regret the inefficiency of both the BLI and the PSSI in this matter. As a result, Indonesia will not be represented," Taufan said.
Indonesia's second club, the 2005-06 national champion, Persipura from the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura, was also barred from the Champion's League because they had not submitted their paperwork.
He said that the deadline for the submission of the documents to the AFC was 12 February and Arema submitted its paperwork to the BLI (the national league's autonomous management board) three days earlier. He did not know if the paperwork was forwarded to the PSSI.
Taufan said that the club had no immediate plans to take legal action. "For the moment, we just want PSSI to account for the incident," he said.
"We regret the inefficiency of both the BLI and the PSSI in this matter. As a result, Indonesia will not be represented," Taufan said.
Indonesia's second club, the 2005-06 national champion, Persipura from the Papua provincial capital of Jayapura, was also barred from the Champion's League because they had not submitted their paperwork.
See also: AFC sacks ASEAN four from Champions League (25 Feb) and Program promotes 'business of football' in ASEAN (14 Feb)