- Yuran Fernandes, captain of Indonesian club PSM Makassar, was served with an initial 12-month ban by the Indonesian FA after expressing his opinion on social media about a Liga 1 game
- Fernandes, who received widespread support from fellow players and Indonesian player union APPI, had his ban reduced to three months by the country’s Appeals Committee
- FIFPRO spoke with Fernandes and APPI President Andritany Ardhiyasa to reflect on the case and why players in Indonesia should not be discouraged from speaking out on important issues, while being respectful and responsible
A player who was served a 12-month ban for a social media post expressing his opinion on a match official's decision has had his suspension reduced to three months after a successful legal appeal.
Yuran Fernandes, captain of Indonesian club PSM Makassar, voiced his disappointment on Instagram after his goal during a match against PSS Sleman was disallowed through VAR. Despite clarifying his comments and issuing an apology days later, Fernandes was then hit with a 12-month ban and IDR 25 million (EUR 1,345) fine from the Indonesian FA.
FIFPRO, in a statement published last week, criticised the Indonesian FA’s decision and reaffirmed its stance that all professional footballers should be able to express themselves freely.
Indonesian player union APPI supported Fernandes with his appeal, which saw the ban reduced to three months. It means the centre-back will miss the final game of the 2024/25 Indonesian Liga 1 season but will be able to compete when the new campaign begins in August 2025.
FIFPRO spoke with Fernandes and Indonesian player union (APPI) President Andritany Ardhiyasa, a goalkeeper for Liga 1 side Persija Jakarta, to reflect on Fernandes' case and why players in Indonesia should not be discouraged from speaking out on important issues.
FIFPRO: Yuran, how do you reflect on the ban being reduced to three months?
Yuran Fernandes: I feel better than before. Many people in Indonesia felt a 12-month ban for making a comment on a game was unfair and that it didn’t make a lot of sense. As it’s been reduced to three months and starts now, it will cover a lot of the off-season and I will be able to return for the new Liga 1 season in August.
Many local and foreign players here in Indonesia messaged me to say: ‘we are with you’. That if I needed help, they are there for me. That players around Indonesia would do something together on Instagram to show that a 12-month punishment for making a comment is unfair. While a three-month ban is better than 12, I still don't want to have that on my CV. It has made me reflect that, while I still consider it is fundamental to have freedom of speech, I should have phrased things differently and thought twice who could feel touched by the publication.
What happens now?
Andritany Ardhiyasa: Technically we cannot appeal this case to CAS; only sanctions above three months can be appealed. We have to respect the decision of the Appeal Committee. We would have preferred no sanction at all, as our argument is that Yuran was expressing his disappointment, and if there was something wrong with that, then he already clarified and apologised beforehand. But at least the ban has been heavily reduced. It means Yuran misses three games rather than 12 months.
You received a lot of support from players and fans. How much strength did you take from that during a difficult time?
Yuran Fernandes: A lot of people supported me. I even had fans from other teams messaging me saying: ‘I’m from Bali, but I support you on this’. To receive a lot of messages like that, and to feel the support of the people like that, it made me feel more comfortable, feel like I was doing the right thing, and that players should not be afraid to speak out.
I just expressed myself with a comment and I can see the people understand the way I speak. Okay, I acknowledge I should have worded it differently. But many players messaged me in private to say they supported me on this. APPI also supported me all the way and were there to help me.
Has there been a case like this in Indonesian football before?
Andritany Ardhiyasa: We had a case last season when players from Kalteng Putra were not paid for months and they collectively expressed themselves on social media to bring attention to the issue. The club management then reported those unpaid players to the police. So, while it’s not the first time that players have expressed themselves and encountered repercussions in Indonesia, it’s the first time that the federation has banned a player for it.
How important is it that players have a role in shaping the football industry in Indonesia?
Yuran Fernandes: I’ve lived here for three years. My family's here. I’m friends with a lot of players here. I don't have anything to complain about Indonesia as a country. But we need to do something for football to change here. It's very important all the players are together, that they show support for one another, and show each other that they are not alone. We can do something for football in Indonesia together.
What is your message to players in Indonesia who might be hesitant in speaking out?
Andritany Ardhiyasa: What we can learn from Yuran’s case is that, as players, we should still express ourselves freely – express our thoughts, our disappointments. Players can do it in the form of questions, such as: what’s going on with the league game? How can we all work together to improve football in Indonesia?
Questioning is one of the ways we can express our thoughts and have that conversation about what improvements can be made. It’s so important for players to know that they have a voice and they can use it responsibly. The union is always behind the players to support them in that regard.
