The Chairman of the Referee Committee of the All Indonesia Football Association (PSSI), Yoshimi Ogawa, emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of referees in officiating every match as a crucial aspect for the progress of Indonesian football.
"If we can't ensure the safety of referees, how can we appoint them to officiate matches?" Yoshimi Ogawa told the media at the "Refereeing Workshop for Media" held by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) in collaboration with the Indonesian Football Association.
The issue of referee safety in Indonesian football competitions has come under the spotlight following the incident of vandalism of a referee's car that occurred after a football match in Central Java involving Persijap Jepara and Persis Solo in early March.
