Disgraceful Incident in League 4: Two Kung Fu Kicks

Indonesia’s League 4 has once again come under the spotlight due to an unwanted incident: two football players, Muhammad Hilmi Gimnastiar from PS Putra Jaya Pasuruan and Dwi Pilihanto from KAFI Jogja, engaged in aggressive actions causing significant concern. Their actions, described as ‘kung fu kicks’, led to both players being banned for life. This incident not only tarnished the reputation of League 4 but also raised questions about the need for stricter measures in regulating behavior in the lower leagues, which remain amateur by nature. League 4, organized at the district and city level, encompasses teams with minimal infrastructural and financial resources. However, it plays a critical role in discovering and developing young talents. Besides disciplinary actions, local authorities must focus on developing mentoring systems to prevent such player behavior in the future. This event also raises questions about the support of League 4 by authorities in terms of safe and fair competition.