Newly Elected Indonesia FA President Vows To 'Fight' Back Against Government

The newly elected president of the Indonesia FA (PSSI) has "vowed to fight back against the government" after his governing body was "suspended" by the Youth & Sports Ministry, according to Patrick Johnston of REUTERS. The ministry made the decision on Friday after the PSSI "continued to ignore its recommendation to suspend two clubs from competing" in the domestic football league because of ownership concerns. On Saturday, despite the ban, PSSI Chair La Nyalla Mahmud "won 92 of 106 votes to replace Djohar Arifin and run the PSSI" until '19 at a congress in Surabaya, where "fans of Persebaya -- one of the clubs that the government wanted banned -- protested outside." La Nyalla said, "We will fight against the government's decision because only FIFA has the right to dissolve PSSI. We bow to FIFA regulations." The actions of the ministry are in "breach of the regulations" set out by FIFA, which has banned int'l teams in the past for "government interference in the running of local" FAs (REUTERS, 4/19).