Jakarta, Indonesianpost.com – Israel is one of the teams that has qualified for the U-20 World Cup. PSSI (Indonesian Football Association) has coordinated with two ministries regarding this matter.
Read also: Iraq Coach Gathers Information on Indonesia U-20’s Strength in First Match
The U-20 World Cup 2023 will take place in Indonesia from May 20 to June 11. Israel’s qualification is intriguing because Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.
So how does the Chairman of PSSI, Erick Thohir, respond to this?
Erick stated that Israel is still welcome to participate in Indonesia. As the host, he said that they will prepare well, even though it involves foreign relations.
“Well, I think in the context of politics and sports, it is a part that exists all over the world. As the host, we must prepare for any team that plays,” said Erick when met in Senayan.
“If we do not prepare well when other teams like the United States, China, or other countries have not finished their qualifications if we cannot do that well, how can we host the World Cup?”
“Well, for some countries that have diplomatic issues, we will manage it through foreign relations,” he said.
“We have involved the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs to prevent any unwanted situations, so that our dream of hosting the World Cup or Olympics will not be ruined because of politics and not the sports event,” he added.
“But the consequences must be taken care of properly. Therefore, we cooperate with the government, specifically with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Political, Legal, and Security Affairs,” Erick emphasized.