Indonesia makes last-ditch play to keep U-20 World Cup

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) chief Erick Thohir (pic) is jetting off to Zurich, Switzerland, on behalf of the government in a last-ditch effort to lobby world soccer governing body Fifa not to move the U-20 World Cup out of Indonesia, as President Joko Widodo seeks to contain an intraparty revolt against Israel’s participation in the youth tournament.

In a video statement on Tuesday (March 28), the President said Israel’s participation in the event would in no way change Indonesia’s support for Palestine, adding that politics should be separate from soccer.