Indonesian football league suspended after fan killed

Indonesian football league suspended after fan killed

Persija supporters stand around the grave of Haringga Sirila, a Persija Jakarta fan who was killed by a mob of supporters of a rival club, in Indramayu, Indonesia, Sept 24, 2018. (Antara Foto/Dedhez Anggara via REUTERS)
Persija supporters stand around the grave of Haringga Sirila, a Persija Jakarta fan who was killed by a mob of supporters of a rival club, in Indramayu, Indonesia, Sept 24, 2018. (Antara Foto/Dedhez Anggara via REUTERS)

JAKARTA: The Indonesian football league has been suspended following the killing of a fan by rival supporters.

The chairman of the Indonesian Soccer Association, Edy Rahmayadi, said late Tuesday the suspension will last until the completion of an investigation into the death of Haringga Sirila, a supporter of Jakarta-based club Persija.

The 23-year-old Sirila was beaten to death by supporters of Persib on Sunday outside a stadium in Bandung just before a match between the clubs.

Police in Bandung have named eight people as suspects in the killing of Sirila.

Persib, which currently leads the league, won the match 3-2.

Dozens of people have been killed in violence between football fans in Indonesia since the 1990s. Football is hugely popular in Indonesia but the official league is plagued by problems, including corruption and inept management.

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