JAKARTA (6 Oct 2011) – The Indonesian organizers of the SEA Games 2011, INASOC has reverted their earlier decision and chose to have men’s football only in Jakarta.
Earlier, INASOC had announced that the men’s football will be played in both cities of Jakarta and Palembang but this week, they have changed their minds.
Djoko Pramono, the deputy chairman of INASOC confirmed this week that Jakarta would host both groups of the football competition instead of one playing in the capital and the other in Palembang.
“The (football) schedule has been pushed forward from 7 November to 3 November 2011 because Palembang’s venue, Gelora Sriwijaya, will be used for the opening and closing ceremonies. Match organizers are preparing Gelora Bung Karno and Lebak Bulus as the venues,” Djoko said.
INASOC originally planned to put one group in each of the co-host cities. That plan was scrapped, though, when they learned that the Gelora Sriwijaya had to be closed from 7 November to prepare for the opening ceremony.
The Lebak Bulus Stadium is undergoing a IDR 3 billion (USD336,000) renovation to improve their lighting system. It will be the stadium’s last event as it is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a railway station by the end of the year.
Indonesia U23 coach Rahmad Darmawan said news of the change was a surprise to him. The team’s warm-up matches on 22 and 26 October will be rescheduled to 21 and 24 October at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
The FA of Indonesia (PSSI) had planned to send the team for a brief training camp in India or Japan. While the India option fell through, Rahmad said he was waiting for confirmation on the Japan trip.
“If we can’t make it, we will have at least two warm-up matches against local teams with good quality and a good fan base. We need to simulate the SEA Games atmosphere by playing under pressure,” he said.
In the meantime, Djoko also denied reports that Indonesia had been drawn alongside Myanmar, Laos, Malaysia and East Timor, saying the group draw has yet to take place.
SOURCE: Jakarta Globe
