SEAToday.com, Jakarta - PSSI Executive Committee member Arya Sinulingga has refuted claims that PSSI has yet to file an official protest with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) regarding the controversial refereeing decisions during Indonesia's match against Bahrain.

On Sunday (10/13), AFC Secretary-General Windsor John had stated that PSSI had not yet clarified their grievances regarding referee Ahmed Al Kah's decisions. “We need PSSI to clarify what exactly they are protesting—whether it’s about performance, time management, or other specific issues,” Windsor John remarked, as reported by ANTARA.

Referee Ahmed Al Kah came under fire for his decisions, notably extending the injury time from six minutes to nine, which allowed Bahrain to equalize in the 90+9 minute, forcing a 2-2 draw. Many felt that the extended time was unjustified and contributed to Indonesia's lost victory.

However, Arya Sinulingga explained that PSSI had already submitted their protest shortly after the match. "On October 10, not long after the match, Pak Sumardji (Team Manager) sent a letter to the match commissioner. He even signed it, and the commissioner received it," Arya stated via his Instagram account, showing the protest letter as proof.

In addition, Arya revealed that PSSI had also escalated the protest to FIFA the following day, raising concerns over both the extended injury time and the referee’s origins from the Middle East. He urged both AFC and FIFA to take their complaints seriously, emphasizing that PSSI had followed all proper procedures in submitting the protest.

With PSSI's protests formally lodged, the federation now awaits AFC and FIFA's response regarding the controversial officiating decisions.

Writer: Fariz Ahmad Luthfi