体坛英语新闻：FIFA cancels sanction to Indonesia, gives more time to settle dispute

JAKARTA, Dec. 15 (Xinhua) -- World football governing body FIFA cancels its plan to give sanction to Indonesia as it has extended the deadline for the country to setle dispute between two football organizations to March 30 from the initial Dec. 10, local media reported on Saturday.

Previousluy FIFA threatened to prohibit Indonesia from participating in international football events if the rival organizations failed to meet the Dec. 10 reconciliation deadline.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) said FIFA had leveled no sanctions related to PSSI's failure to reconcile with its rival, the Indonesian Football Savior Committee (KPSI).

"We're still waiting for the official letter. But from what I've heard, it's obvious there is no sanction," Bob Hippy, a member of PSSI's Executive Committee, was quoted by the Jakarta globe as saying.

FIFA earlier gave the PSSI and KPSI a Dec. 10 deadline to settle long-running disputes that have marred Indonesia's domestic and international football programs.

KPSI was formed as a breakaway league organizer of the official PSSI after four members of the PSSI Executive Committee, namely La Nyalla Mattalitti, Roberto Rouw, Erwin Dwi Budiawan and Tony Apriliani, were expelled.

KPSI then began organizing the Indonesian Super League, a rival to the officially sanctioned Indonesian Premier League run by the PSSI.

In June, the two rival organizations signed a memorandum of understanding, in which they agreed to settle their disputes by Dec. 10.

The MoU states that four expelled members of the PSSI Executive Committee will be reinstated, the Indonesian Super League will come under PSSI jurisdiction, the KPSI will be dissolved after the next PSSI congress and a PSSI Joint Committee will be established.

But PSSI recently asked for a one-month extension of the deadline, following Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng's resignation on Dec. 7 after he was named a suspect in a high-profile graft case.

PSSI secretary-general Halim Mahfudz said PSSI welcomed FIFA's decision to extend the deadline until March 30, when FIFA is set hold an Executive Committee meeting that will discuss the PSSI-KPSI rivalry, among other things.

"Thanks to the people of Indonesia, due to their prayers, today Indonesia does not receive any sanction from FIFA," Halim said.