Sports and politics don’t mix


Broken-hearted: Protesters rallying against the cancellation of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Jakarta. – AP

“DON’T mix sports with politics.” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s statement last Tuesday was loud and clear, responding to the controversy on the participation of the Israeli team in the upcoming 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in six Indonesian cities.

It was apparent that Jokowi wanted the show to go on despite the fact that it has divided the nation and put him on a collision course, yet again, with his own party, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P).

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