Despite severe sanctions from FIFA, the top official in Indonesia remains determined to circumvent the rules.

Sumardji, Head of the National Team Committee and a member of the PSSI Executive Board, confirmed his commitment to support the Indonesian national team even after being severely sanctioned by FIFA.

According to Superball, Sumardji was suspended by FIFA from performing his duties following an incident at the end of the match between Indonesia and Iraq in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The game, held at King Abdullah Stadium in Saudi Arabia, saw the Indonesian team narrowly lose 0-1 to the West Asian representatives amid a tense and somewhat chaotic atmosphere.

After the match ended, Sumardji got into an argument with the Chinese referee Ma Ning. He was accused of aggressive behavior towards the “man in black,” even causing the referee to fall to the ground. Immediately, Ma Ning showed a red card, dismissing Sumardji from his duties.

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee later imposed a strict penalty: a ban from 20 official FIFA matches with the Indonesian team and a fine of 324 million rupiah. Sumardji was found guilty of violating Article 14, Clause 1 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code concerning assault on match officials.

Speaking to the media, Sumardji admitted his mistake but expressed surprise at the severity of the punishment. He stated: “Honestly, I was shocked that the punishment reached 20 official FIFA matches. That is really harsh. I do not deny it; I admit my fault.”

According to Sumardji, his actions were intended only to protect Indonesian players from the risk of receiving additional red cards. He believed that at that moment, referee Ma Ning seemed to be looking for a reason to send off an Indonesian player. Sumardji emphasized: “I just wanted to protect the players. I saw the referee trying to find a loophole to give a red card. So I reached out to stop him. That’s the risk of leading a team. I see myself as a father who must protect and shield his children.”

Despite acknowledging the heavy penalty, Sumardji revealed that he has a plan to remain involved with the team. Accordingly, he will not sit on the coaching bench or appear in the technical area as required, but he can still assist the team from outside the field.

Sumardji confirmed: “For me, it’s not a problem. The important thing is that I can still contribute and support the national team. I am not allowed to sit on the bench, but I can accompany the team at the hotel and go to the stadium, as long as I don’t enter the locker room.”

The Indonesian team’s next schedule is the FIFA Series 2026, held from March 23 to 31 in Jakarta. This will be the first opportunity to see how Sumardji implements his plan to “support from afar” following the heavy FIFA sanction.