Bahrain’s national football team has announced that it will not participate in a scheduled World Cup qualifying match in Indonesia due to concerns over the safety of its players. The decision comes after Bahraini players received online death threats from Indonesian fans, following a controversial 2-2 draw between the two teams last week. The Bahrain Football Association (BFA) has formally requested that FIFA move the match to a different venue outside of Indonesia to ensure the safety of their team.
Controversial Match and Fallout
The controversy erupted during a heated match between Bahrain and Indonesia, where Bahrain secured a dramatic 99th-minute equalizer—three minutes after the expected end of the match. The additional time led to protests from Indonesia’s players and coaching staff, with one member of the Indonesian staff being ejected for confronting match officials.
Indonesia’s football association (PSSI) accused the match referee, Oman’s Ahmed Al Kaf, of deliberately extending the game to favor Bahrain, alleging bias due to shared regional ties. While Al Kaf had indicated six minutes of stoppage time, Bahrain scored after nine. Despite the protests, FIFA’s rules state that the added time is a minimum, and referees are allowed to extend it if necessary.
Online Abuse and Death Threats
In the days following the match, Indonesian football fans took to social media to voice their anger, directing their frustration at Bahrain and referee Ahmed Al Kaf. The abuse escalated to the point where the Bahrain Football Association had to disable comments on their social media accounts and reported several hacking attempts on their official website. Fans even created fake accounts impersonating the referee, accusing him of favoritism.
The situation took a darker turn when members of the Bahraini national team began receiving death threats. In a statement, the BFA expressed “extreme surprise” at the threats, condemning the disregard for human life shown by the abusive messages. The statement further emphasized that the threats went against the principles of sportsmanship and Islamic values.
Bahrain’s Request to Move the Match
As a result of the threats and the rising tensions, the Bahrain Football Association has requested that FIFA relocate the return fixture, scheduled for March in Jakarta, to a neutral venue outside of Indonesia. The BFA’s primary concern is the safety of its players, stating that they refuse to “expose the lives of the team members to any potential danger.” If FIFA denies Bahrain’s request and the team refuses to play in Jakarta, Indonesia could be awarded a 3-0 victory by default.
Neither FIFA nor the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) has publicly commented on Bahrain’s request, but the situation has raised concerns about the safety of players in high-stakes international matches. Crowd violence has been a recurring issue in Indonesian football, with authorities struggling to manage aggressive fan behavior. Just two years ago, Indonesia witnessed one of the deadliest stadium disasters in history, when 125 people died in a stadium crush in Malang, triggered by a pitch invasion and violent clashes.
History of Tension Between Bahrain and Indonesia
This is not the first time Bahrain and Indonesia have faced controversy on the football field. In 2012, Bahrain’s 10-0 victory over Indonesia in a World Cup qualifier raised suspicions of match-fixing, as Bahrain needed a significant goal difference to advance in the group standings. While the result triggered a FIFA investigation, both teams were cleared of any wrongdoing.
Currently, Bahrain is ranked 76th in the world, while Indonesia holds a ranking of 129th. The two teams are competing in the World Cup qualifiers, where tensions are high, and every match is crucial. Bahrain is set to face China in their next qualifier, while Indonesia will take on Japan in November.
Conclusion
The decision by the Bahrain national football team not to play in Indonesia due to online death threats highlights the growing concerns over player safety in international football. The controversy surrounding the recent match and the intense reaction from Indonesian fans have escalated into a situation that requires FIFA’s intervention. With the match in Jakarta still on the schedule, it remains to be seen how FIFA and the Indonesian authorities will address Bahrain’s request to move the game to a safer location. In the meantime, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding the well-being of athletes on and off the field.
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