Indonesian authorities on Tuesday banned Michael Essien and Carlton Cole from playing until they get work permits, after their new club did not obtain the necessary documents for the ex-Premier League players.
The two were signed with great fanfare last month by Persib Bandung, one of the country’s best clubs, in a boost for Indonesian football as it seeks to bounce back from a FIFA suspension and launch a new league.
However the government-backed Professional Sports Agency found the players did not have the required work permits.
The club admitted they had not finished processing the paperwork for the pair before they made their debuts in the country’s new top-flight Liga 1 at the weekend.
After calling in the players and Persib’s management for questioning, immigration authorities said Tuesday the pair would not be able to play until they obtained the permits.
‘Today we gave a strong warning to Persib in the form of a letter saying that as long as Persib had not completed the permits, we are banning Essien and Cole from playing,’ said Maulia Purnamawati, the immigration chief in Bandung.
Essien and Cole were signed with great fanfare by Indonesian club Persib Bandung last month
Persib said they would abide by the ban while working to get the permits. Joko Driyono, the secretary general of the country’s football association, said they would help the club in obtaining the documents.
Persib said it had sought to process the paperwork a few days before the stars’ first match on Saturday. The permits were not ready on time, but the football association and league organiser gave them permission to play.
Club manager Umuh Muchtar accused the sports agency, which reports to the government and monitors foreign players in the country, of going too far. However Bandung were found not to have obtained the required work permits for the players
He said: ‘Everybody knows that Essien is a world-class player, not an illegal immigrant. That they are here is a joy for us, they want to raise up Indonesia’s name in the world. Essien has played for Chelsea, AC Milan and Real Madrid, while Cole has played for Chelsea and West Ham.
Liga 1 replaces an old top-level league, which was halted in 2015 due to a row between the government and Indonesian FA that triggered turmoil and led to the country being hit with a one-year ban by FIFA.
