JAKARTA: An Indonesian player was handed a life ban yesterday for punching a referee in the face, with officials saying the outburst of violence had “tarnished the image of Indonesian football”.
It was the first life ban for a player in the country since 2008, and adds to the woeful state of football in Southeast Asia’s biggest nation as it tries to recover from a crisis which saw rival federations running separate leagues.
The violence erupted when Pieter Rumaropen’s side, Persiwa Wamena, were 1-1 against Pelita Bandung Raya in a Super League match on Sunday.
Referee Muhaimin awarded a penalty to Pelita with eight minutes left of the game in Bandung, West Java province -- prompting Rumaropen to run up behind the official and hit him in the face with a left hook.
Muhaimin, who like many Indonesians goes by one name, began bleeding heavily and was admitted to hospital where he needed four stitches on his lips.
“This was a terrible act that we cannot tolerate,” said Hinca Panjaitan, head of the disciplinary committee of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), as he announced the ban after a meeting in Jakarta.
“It has tarnished the image of Indonesian football in the international community, I hope this punishment will repair that.”
The match had to be halted briefly for another referee to take over as Muhaimin went off.
The replacement official promptly showed Rumaropen a red card and his side went on to lose the game 2-1 after Pelita scored the penalty.
The life ban, which comes into effect today, was the first for a footballer in Indonesia for five years.
In 2008, four players received the same punishment after kicking a referee and pulling down his shorts. AFP
