PIKIRAN RAKYAT - After FIFA revoked Indonesia's status as the host of the U-20 World Cup on March 29, 2023, the governor of East Java and one of Indonesia's strongest presidential candidates faced massive backlash. Football fans in the country expressed their disappointment on social media, and many netizens, including Indonesian football players, swarmed the Instagram account of Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo (@Ganjar_Pranowo) to express their disappointment.
It seems that some football players commented on a video of Ganjar's visit to Agape Elderly Home in Semarang, Central Java. They criticized Ganjar's refusal to allow the Israeli national team's participation in the U-20 World Cup, which they suspected had an impact on Indonesia's hosting status.
One of those expressing his disappointment was Indonesian football player Hokky Caraka. Through his Twitter account, @Hokkycaraka, Hokky said that Ganjar had shattered the dreams of young Indonesian football players.
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"Thank you very much, sir. Oh yes, sir, we know that your future is already secured. But what about us, sir? We are just starting to build our careers and improve ourselves. But our stepping stones have already been shattered by you, sir. #thankyouganjar_pranowo)," Hokky said in his comments.
"Thank you, sir, for burying our dreams as football players to play in the World Cup. Your future is clear, what about our careers? Do you have any responsibility? We are all really disappointed," said Achmad Syarif, another Indonesian football player in his comments.
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Previously, the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, refused to allow the Israeli national team to play in Indonesia during the U-20 World Cup. According to Ganjar, this was a manifestation of a joint commitment to support Palestinian independence as mandated by Indonesia's first president, Soekarno. As a cadre of the PDI-P political party, Ganjar firmly upholds Bung Karno's mandate to continue supporting Palestinian independence.
Furthermore, Ganjar has communicated with the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) and relevant ministers. According to him, the U-20 World Cup can still be held without sacrificing the nation's commitment to realizing Palestinian independence. "Thus, the U-20 World Cup can be held without sacrificing our long-standing commitment to realizing Palestinian independence and maintaining social and political peace within Indonesia," he said.***