Persib Bandung duo, Michael Essien and Carlton Cole, are facing potential jail term\u00a0in Indonesia following the club\u2019s failure to provide them work permits.<\/p>\n
Essien and Cole completed a transfer move to the Indonesia outfit last month and made their respective debuts last Saturday in a 0-0 draw against Arema FC.<\/p>\n
But, the players and their club may soon be involved in a legal tussle after the government-backed Professional Sports Agency found out that the players did not have the required work permits to play in the country.<\/p>\n
The club admitted Monday that the players did not have the work permits and they had sought to acquire the documents a few days before their first match.<\/p>\n
Persib claims the permits were not ready on time, but the football association and league organizer gave them permission to play.<\/p>\n
Persib Manager Umuh Muchtar accused the sports agency of witch-hunting the foreign players.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat they are here is a joy for us, they want to raise up Indonesia\u2019s name in the world,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cEverybody knows that Essien is a world-class player, not an illegal immigrant.”<\/p>\n
Immigration authorities have summoned the club management but it is not clear when the questioning would take place.<\/p>\n
An immigration official Agustianur (who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name) explained that, \u201cThey are professionals so they must hold a (work) permit to perform activities in Indonesia.\u201d<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
By: Rahman Osman\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Persib Bandung duo, Michael Essien and Carlton Cole, are facing potential jail term\u00a0in Indonesia following the club\u2019s failure to provide them work permits. Essien and Cole completed a transfer move to the Indonesia outfit last month and made their respective debuts last Saturday in a 0-0 draw against Arema FC. But, the players and their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[142],"tags":[564,3,5631,4407],"yoast_head":"\n