Thomas Rizal, Jakarta – The Anti-Mafia Task Force (Satgas) for Football is investigating allegations of match-fixing in the Indonesian Liga 1 match between Bhayangkara FC and Persik Kediri, which ended in a striking 7-0 victory.
Bhayangkara FC's win in the match held at the PTIK Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday saw goals from Matias Mier scoring three goals in the 1st, 19th, and 50th minutes, Marcelo Herrera (53rd minute), Dendy Sulistyawan (59th minute), Titan Agung (85th minute), and an own goal by Persik's goalkeeper, Dikri Yusron (90+4th minute).
Member of the task force, Akmal Maharli, revealed that the investigation began after the management of Persik Kediri sent a report suspecting match-fixing in the match.
"We appreciate the proactive step taken by Persik Kediri's management in reporting these suspicions to us. We will immediately follow up on this report," said Akmal in a written statement on Thursday.
Persik is currently in seventh place in the Liga 1 standings, while Bhayangkara FC occupies the 17th spot out of 18 teams.
In the report submitted by Persik's management, indications of match-fixing influencing the match result were found. The task force plans to further examine the report and coordinate with the task force, which is an initiative of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) to investigate match-fixing cases in Indonesia.
Akmal also said that his team is analyzing all available information, including the possible involvement of players in the alleged match-fixing. All evidence found will be handed over to the task force for further legal proceedings.
"The information we gather will continue to be developed, including the questioning of players and relevant parties," added Akmal.
During their investigation, the task force also found the presence of suspicious individuals in the stands during the match. These individuals are suspected to be runners or intermediaries for gambling syndicates involved in match-fixing.
In addition to the match between Persik and Bhayangkara, the task force is also evaluating other matches that recorded unusual scores. They urge other clubs that suspect irregularities in match results to report them immediately to the task force and relevant authorities.