The Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) said Saturday that it remained in control, rebuffing claims that a majority of its members voted to hold an extraordinary congress to elect a new leadership. The Jakarta Globe reported Friday that 452 out of 580 members agreed this week to hold an extraordinary meeting in March 2012 amid a dispute over a breakaway league. They called themselves the Indonesian Football Savior Committee (KPSI), according to the report.
However, deputy chairman Farid Rahman said: "PSSI's investigation and verification to all members proved there has been manipulation of the figures since...less than fifty percent of the members agreed to hold the congress. "The intention to have the extraordinary congress just does not make sense," he said in a statement received by AFP.
"We continue our strong intention to change and to reform Indonesian football and bring our team to perform at an international level," Rahman added. The country's football was plunged into disarray recently when a breakaway league was revived, triggering a series of fierce disputes between clubs and the official Liga Prima, accredited by the association. The PSSI last month expelled Persipura Jayapura from Asia's top club tournament as they had joined the breakaway league. The decision triggered the resignation of its under-23 football coach Rahmad Darmawan.