JAKARTA, Indonesia – Indonesian soccer authorities have banned 12 players and officials for life over an own-goal fiasco in a playoff match.
The Indonesian Football Association says three other officials of clubs PSS Sleman and PSIS Semarang have been banned for 10 years.
Sleman, which won 3-2, conceded two late own-goals in an attempt to lose, but Semarang then conceded three. A disciplinary committee decided both teams wanted to lose in order to avoid a semifinal match against Borneo. Both teams have been relegated from the first division.
Seventeen other players, including two foreigners, were barred for five years, while 11 substitute players were banned for one year with five years of probation.
Many of them were also ordered to pay fines ranging from $4,125 to $16,500.
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