REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi has expressed hope that the Indonesia Super League (ISL) tournament 2015 can go on although the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has been suspended.

"The competition must go on. We wish the competition upholds sportsmanship and guarantees the rights of players," Minister Nahrawi said after meeting with representatives of the ISL clubs at the minister's office here on Monday (26/4).

The first meeting between the government and the participating clubs of the highest level of competition in the country has yet to yield a result because representatives of the clubs left the meeting before it came to an end.

The minister, however, appreciated the representatives of the ISL clubs for their willingness to communicate with the government.

"Our intention is to reorganize the (ISL) competition," Nahrawi noted in the gathering which was also attended by CEO of the PT Liga Indonesia, the organizer of the ISL competition.

Earlier, the Youth and Sports Minister temporarily suspended the management of the All-Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

The PSSI held its extraordinary congress in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Saturday, April 18, 2015, after Minister Nachrowi imposed a sanction (temporary suspension) on the country`s soccer association.

The temporary suspension of the PSSI came after the Indonesian Professional Sports Agency refused to allow two problematic soccer clubs, Persebaya Surabaya and Arema Indonesia, to participate in the ISL tournament due to a dual ownership issue.

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