Mahaka Sports to organize General Sudirman Cup

Mahaka Sports to organize General Sudirman Cup.

JAKARTA -- Following its success in carrying out the 2015 President Cup soccer tournament which ended on last Sunday (Oct 18), Mahaka Sports will organize another tournament i.e. the General Sudirman Cup in mid November 2015.

With regard to the event, the Indonesian Professional Sports Agency (BOPI) has urged Mahaka Sports to coordinate with Transitional Team before seeking a recommendation from the Transitional Team to organize the Gen. Sudirman Cup tournament.

"BOPI urged Mahaka Sports to coordinate with the Transitional Team before seeking a recommendation from the Transitional Team to organize the General Sudirman Cup," BOPI's press release quoted its secretary general Heru Nugroho as saying here on Wednesday.

The soccer tournament will be organized to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Indonesian military (TNI).

The tournament, which will be held from November 14, 2015 to January 24, 2016 is expected to witness participation by 14 clubs plus one club of TNI as a guest.

Nugroho further said, "In accordance with the regulations, the event organizer (Mahaka Sports) has to coordinate with us before seeking our recommendation."

According to him, this regulation is issued because the government has suspended the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), so the event organizer should coordinate with the Transition Team.

Mahaka Sports will also cooperate with TNI in a bid to organize the soccer tournament.

So far, BOPI has yet released detail of clubs which will take part in the tournament.

On Tuesday (Oct 27), Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs asked the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) to help make the soccer tournament of Sudirman Cup a success.

"Hopefully, PSSI will not complicate (the tournament). We still think positively that PSSI has positive thinking in order to conduct the General Sudirman Cup," spokesman of Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs (Kemenpora) Gatot S Dewa Broto, told Antara here on Tuesday night (Oct.27).

The General Sudirman Cup will take place in three cities, Gianyar (Bali), Malang and Surabaya both in East Java.

Broto said further that the General Sudirman Cup tournament will begin in Surabaya.

The Mahaka Sports had successfully conducted the President Cup tournament in which Persib Bandung from West Java Province emerged as champion after crushing Sriwijaya FC club of South Sumatra 2-0 which took place in the "Gelora Bung Karno" (GBK) main stadium here on Sunday (Oct 18).

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) handed over a presidential trophy to Persib Bandung in the stadium.

The final match was also attended by governors of Jakarta, West Java, and South Sumatra, respectively Basuki Tjahja Purnama (Ahok), Ahmad Heryawan (Aher), and Alex Nurdin.

The president delivered the trophy to Persib Bandung captain Atep.

Persib`s players Ahmad Jufriyanto and Makan Konate scored the two goals in the seventh minute and 45th minute respectively.

Persib Bandung advanced to final round of the President Cup 2015 after crushing Mitra Kukar team of East Kalimantan 3-1 in Bandung on Saturday evening (Oct. 11).

Persib advanced to the final after leading in the aggregate 3-2 over Mitra Kukar in the second leg of the semifinals which took place in the Si Jalak Harupat Soreang, Bandung District.

In the first leg which took place on Sunday (Oct 4) Mitra Kukar defeated Persib 1-0.

On the other hand, Sriwijaya FC advanced to the final round after defeating Arema Cronus Indonesia of Malang, East Java 2-1 in the second leg of semifinals which took place in the Manahan Solo stadium on Sunday evening (Oct.11).

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) opened the President Cup Tournament 2015 at the "I Wayan Dipta" Stadium in Gianyar, Bali, on Sunday (Aug.30).

The President Cup tournament drew participation from 16 soccer clubs.

The President Cup is a professional soccer tournament aimed at resuming soccer as a competitive sport across the country after it was halted several months ago.

In the meantime, Mahaka Group President Commissioner, Erick Thohir, expressed hope that the tournament could emerge as a barometer for the professional football competition in all aspects so as to become an example and role model for the next football tournament.

The President Cup tournament was divided into four groups and a total of 38 matches were held during the tournament.

The tournament took place in four cities namely Bandung (group A), Malang (group B), Bali (group C) and Makassar (Group D).

Group A consists of Persib Bandung, Persebaya United, Persiba Balikpapan, and Martapura FC; and Group B comprises of Arema Cronos, PSGS Ciamis, Sriwijaya FC Palembang and Persela Lamongan.

Group C has teams Bali United, Persija Jakarta, Mitra Kukar and Persita Tangerang; while Group D has namely PSM Makassar, Pelita Bandung Raya, Peregres Gresik and Pusamania Borneo FC. (Bustanuddin)