Israel and Indonesia They do not have diplomatic relations and the southeastern country of Asiawhich has the largest Muslim population in the world, is a fervent supporter of the Palestinian cause.
“The raffle was annulled. We can understand this since there was opposition from the governor of Bali”indicated Arya Sinulinggaa member of the federation’s steering committee, during a press conference on Sunday.
“Israel is a participant and the draw cannot be done without all the participants”he added. The FIFA has not responded to the questions AFP.
Wayan Kosterthe governor of Balihad called for a boycott of the team Israel due to Indonesia’s supportive Palestinian policy, in a letter sent to the Ministry of Youth and Sports in March.
The Under-20 World Cupwhich brings together 24 teams, must be played in various cities of the Southeast Asian archipelago from May 20 to June 11.
It is the first time that the team Israel qualified for this competition and the Indonesian government promised to ensure the safety of all participants.
The organizers planned to play the selection of Israel in Balian island with a majority Hindu population, to avoid problems, but the governor’s opposition questioned this project. In mid-March, a hundred demonstrators, sympathizers of conservative Muslim groups, had protested in jakarta against the participation of the Israeli team.
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Political officials warned that Indonesia risked losing the organization of the competition and being isolated by the FIFA if not resolve this issue.
Indonesia witnessed one of the worst catastrophes in football history. Last October, 135 fans lost their lives in a stadium on the island of Java.
The Indonesian authorities worked to restore the reputation of the country, suspended by the FIFA in 2015, due to government interference in football affairs.
Source: Ambito
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