REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The Mahaka Sports will start the President Cup soccer tournament in Gianyar, Bali, on Sunday by offering cash prize amounting to Rp3 billion for the champion.
A total of 16 clubs will participate in the highest level tournament which is expected to be opened by President Joko (Jokowi) Widodo in the "I Wayan Dipta" stadium.
According to Mahaka Sports Director, Erik Tohir, who is organizing the event, of the 16 clubs, 13 clubs had originated from the major league and three clubs from the First Division league (Liga Utama).
Tohir further stated that the runner up in the tournament will earn cash prize of Rp2 billion, the third will obtain Rp1 billion and the fourth will gain Rp500 million.
In addition, the tournament's organizer also offers money prize worth Rp200 million for the best player, Rp 100 million for the top scorer and Rp300 million for the most 'fair play' club.
"(We) have completed preparations for the opening ceremony as well as the clubs grouping," Erick Tohir who is the Mahaka Group president commissioner remarked here on Saturday.
The President Cup is a professional soccer tournament which is aimed to resume the soccer competition in the country that had been halted since several months ago.
He expressed hope that this tournament can emerge as barometer of the professional football competition in all aspects so as to become an example and role model for the next football tournament.
According to him, the President Cup tournament which will start on Sunday, August 30, and will be divided into four groups.
"A total of 38 matches will be held during the tournament. Each day there will be two matches in the preliminary round which will take place at 03.00 p.m. and 6.00 p.m.," Tohir explained, adding that the tournament will be nation-wide broadcasted by a private television station.
Starting from the quarter-finals to the semi-final, the matches format that will be used is "home and away". Its final round will be conducted on October 18 at the Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta.
Soon after the opening ceremony, Bali United (the host) will face Persija Jakarta, followed by Persita Tangerang's match against Mitra Kukar".
In the meantime, the Persita Tangerang coach Bambang Nurdiansyah explained that the President Cup tournament will take 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.
The President Cup tournament will cost Rp30 billion to Rp40 billion, which will be obtained from sponsors, Tohir stated.
Tohir also said that the President Cup event is expected to meet the government`s demand of improving the national soccer`s quality, as well as providing entertainment for the community.
The government appointed Erik Tohir to organize the highest level soccer competition in the country after the Youth and Sports Minister Imam Nahrawi imposed a sanction (of temporary suspension) on the country`s soccer association the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).
On May 2, 2015, Deputy Chairman of the PSSI Hinca Panjaitan stated that Several forces have been at play against the PSSI, which has led to a rowdy atmosphere.
Panjaitan noted that bearing mutual respect in mind, his side had communicated with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Affairs optimally through dialogues and had explained the problems they were currently facing. However, he added, they have yet to receive any clear response.
The PSSI held its extraordinary congress (KLB) in the East Java provincial capital of Surabaya on Saturday, April 18, after Minister of Youth and Sports Affairs Imam Nahrawi imposed a sanction (of temporary suspension) on the country`s soccer association.
During the KLB, the PSSI successfully chose its new executive board of management, electing La Nyalla Mattalitti as the general chairman, and Erwin Dwi Budiawan and Hinca Panjaitan as the vice general chairpersons.
On Monday, April 28, Nahrawi expressed hope that the Indonesian Super League (ISL) would continue to be held even though the PSSI had been suspended.
"The competition must go on. We hope the competition upholds the spirit of sportsmanship and guarantees the rights of players," Minister Nahrawi remarked in his office here on Monday, following a meeting with representatives of clubs competing in the ISL.
On June 8, Minister Nahrawi had asked BOPI to not complicate the permits required for promoters to hold football tournaments.
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