JAKARTA: From deadly fan beatings to teams being transported to matches in armoured personnel carriers, Indonesia is fast gaining a reputation as Asia’s most violent football nation. Sirla was the 70th Indonesian football fan to die in match-related violence since 1994, or about three deaths annually, according to figures from football watchdog Save Our Soccer. The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) suspended play indefinitely following Sunday’s incident, vowing a crackdown. Football analyst Akmal Marhali said clubs with violent supporters must be sanctioned, and he questioned whether Indonesia was ready to restart play. But Indonesian football has been beset by other problems over the years, including poor management, corruption allegations and foreign players dying after going unpaid and being unable to afford medical care.

Source: Pakistan Today September 28, 2018 09:00 UTC