Mahaka Sports To Organize General Sudirman Cup

Jakarta (Antara Bali) -- 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. (WDY)