Referee Eko Agus Sugiharto (second right) gives a red card to Central Sulawesi player Ichansyah (third left) on Sept. 14, 2024, during a match with host Aceh at the H. Dimurthala Stadium in Banda Aceh. (Antara/Adeng Bustomi)
T
he Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI) will launch an investigation into soccer referee Eko Agus Sugih Harto following a controversial quarterfinal match between Aceh and Central Sulawesi at the 21st National Games (PON) on Saturday.
Eko was accused of making decisions that favored PON host Aceh in the chaotic match — which eventually ended with him getting punched in the face and the Central Sulawesi team walking out of the game.
Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo said that authorities would sanction Central Sulawesi player Muhammad Rizky Saputra as well as Eko if he was found to be involved in a match-fixing scheme.
"I've communicated with PSSI head Erick Thohir, and the soccer body will deploy a team to probe the incident, including the suspicions of match-fixing," Dito said on Monday as reported by Kompas.
Erick, on the other hand, said that assaulting a referee was a "very humiliating" act that could not be tolerated, despite the controversial decisions made by Eko.
He said the PSSI would hand the "harshest sanctions" to all parties involved in the incident, including a lifetime ban for Eko if he was proven to have been involved in match-fixing.
Read also: Police probe PON organizers after viral protests on poor infrastructures
