“PSSI Apologizes for Traffic Jams During U-22 National Team Football Champion Procession for SEA Games 2023”

CNN Indonesia

Thursday, 18 May 2023 19:52 WIB

Jakarta, CNNIndonesia —

PSSI apologized to Jakarta residents, especially road users, for causing traffic jams during the procession Indonesian U-22 National Team football champion SEA Games 2023 Friday (19/5).

The U-22 Indonesian National Team will be paraded from the Kemenpora Building to the HI Roundabout and then finish at GBK again on Friday (19/5). The procession is scheduled to start at 08.00 WIB.

Because of this, PSSI, through Executive Committee (Exco) member Arya Sinulingga, apologized because the procession of the U-22 Indonesian National Team could cause traffic jams in Jakarta. However, PSSI hopes that the public can join in the celebration of the U-22 Indonesian National Team winning gold in the 2023 SEA Games.

“So, we apologize to all members of the public if anyone is disturbed. This is part of the things we celebrate together,” said Arya on Thursday (18/5) afternoon.

Arya also explained why the procession took place on weekdays and not on weekends. This is none other than because the players will return to their hometowns starting Friday (19/5) afternoon.

“We need to say that all of these players will return home on Saturday. Friday afternoon, Saturday, they will return to their respective hometowns,” said Arya, Thursday (18/5).

Arya said PSSI had promised all Garuda Muda players that they would send them back from Cambodia. This was conveyed by PSSI to the players before appearing at the 2023 SEA Games.

PSSI actually doesn’t mind if this procession is held at the weekend, but the players already have an agenda. They also miss their families because they haven’t been home for more than a month and a half.

“As we know, they haven’t gone home or seen their families for one and a half months. Even yesterday’s Eid, they still attended TC [training camp]”Arya explained.

“So no one came home during Eid al-Fitr yesterday. We promised them in advance that after returning from Cambodia they would go straight home. That’s why we made the event for Friday.”

The U-22 Indonesian national team won the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games after defeating Thailand with a score of 5-2 in the final on Tuesday (16/5). This fight took place dramatically and peppered with feuds.

The 2023 SEA Games gold medal means a lot to Indonesia because the last time it won it was at the 1991 SEA Games. This means that after 32 years SEA Games gold can only be won again.

(abs/rhr)