Singapore: In the surrounds of Denpasar’s Taman Werdhi Budaya Art Centre, Indonesia’s big moment on the world football stage was finally due to arrive on Friday.
It was then and there, in a sacred complex featuring a Hindu temple, that the draw for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup was to be held.
While well off Broadway compared to the main men’s and women’s tournaments, the 24-team event in May and June loomed as a prime opportunity for Indonesia to start to realise its potential in a sport millions there are wildly enthusiastic about, but which has been woefully managed. It was also a chance to demonstrate its ability to host other major events that could boost its economy and attract investment.
Instead, the draw was cancelled and now Indonesia’s hosting of the tournament is off, stripped by governing body FIFA after a domestic storm over the participation of the Israeli team.
The outcome is a spectacular own goal for the South-East Asian nation.
The Muslim-majority archipelago, which supports the cause of Palestine, does not have diplomatic ties with Israel despite trading with it, so the qualification of the Israeli team was always going to be a complication.
However, the world’s third-largest democracy’s approaching elections next February supercharged the controversy.
Read the article by Chris Barrett in WAToday.