JAKARTA, Dec 13: Indonesian teams have been barred from the 2008 AFC Champions League, dealing another blow to a sport in crisis in the world’s fourth most populous country.

The Asian Football Confederation cited the late completion of Indonesia’s domestic league and cup competitions as the reason, with the slots instead going to Thai Premier League runners-up Krung Thai Bank and Vietnam Cup holders Nam Dinh.

“The AFC Competitions Committee has confirmed that Indonesian clubs shall not be included in the AFC Champions League 2008 as both the Indonesia League and national knockout competition do not finish before January 2008,” the AFC said.

To be eligible, league and cup matches must be completed by the end of the year, with the draw for next year’s competition, Asia’s premier club tournament, scheduled for Monday.

The Indonesian league season kicked off in February but was halted from May to August for the Asian Cup, and again in September for Ramadan, making for a backlog of matches.

The Indonesia Football Association (PSSI) said it had accepted the decision.

“We have accepted the decision as it is not a punishment,” secretary general Nugroho Besoes told AFP.

Besoes said that Indonesia had sent a team to negotiate with AFC management in Kuala Lumpur but to no avail.

“They said they cannot postpone it for the sake of other countries,” he said.

It is not the first time that Indonesian clubs have fallen afoul of the AFC. In 2006, Arema Malang and Persipura Jayapura were thrown out of the competition for failing to fill in their paperwork on time.

Teams in AFC League draw:

West Asia

Iraq - Arbil, Al Quwa Al Jawiya

Kuwait - Al Kuwait, Al Qadsiya

Qatar - Al Sadd, Al Gharafa

UAE - Al Wasl, Al Wahda

Syria - Al Karama, Al Ittihad

Saudi Arabia - Al Ittihad, Al Ahli

Central and South Asia

Iran - Saipa, Sepahan

Uzbekistan - Pakhtakor, Kuruvchi

ASEAN

Vietnam - Binh Duong, Nam Dinh

Thailand - Chonburi, Krung Thai Bank

Australia - Melbourne Victory, Adelaide United

East Asia

Japan - Kashima Antlers, Gamba Osaka

South Korea - Chunnam Dragons, Pohang Steelers

China - Changchun Yatai , Beijing Guo’an.—AFP