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| Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo. |
PEWARTA.CO.ID - The Indonesian national team will continue its naturalization process, according to Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo. He recently confirmed that the naturalization of players, including Kevin Diks, is not a one-off move but part of a broader, ongoing strategy to strengthen Indonesian sports, particularly soccer.
During a joint meeting of the House of Representatives' Commission XIII and Commission X for the 2024-2029 period on Monday (Nov. 4), Dito clarified that the naturalization process will extend beyond just Diks, who is set to join the senior men’s national team. This initiative also involves other athletes, including those for the women’s national team, like Noa Johanna Christina Cornelia Leatomu and Estella Raquel Loupattij, who are currently in the naturalization process.
“This is not the last naturalization process,” Dito stated via his official Instagram account on Tuesday.
Dito added that in the future, naturalization might not be limited to soccer alone. There is a possibility of extending this strategy to athletes from other sports, aiming to boost Indonesia’s competitive edge across various international arenas.
"Certainly, in the future, there might be other naturalization processes and from other sports as well. I’m sharing this in advance to avoid any surprises," he explained.
Dito emphasized that naturalization is a short- to medium-term strategy to enhance the national team's competitiveness in international competitions. According to him, only high-caliber athletes with Indonesian heritage, at least through their grandparents, are considered for naturalization.
“The principle is that this naturalization process is a short- to medium-term strategy. All naturalized athletes have genuine Indonesian blood; they are just born in different places,” he asserted.
The naturalization of Kevin Diks, Noa Leatomu, and Estella Loupattij recently received approval from the Indonesian House of Representatives in a plenary session on Tuesday (Nov. 6, 2024). The next step is to await the issuance of a Presidential Decree (Keppres) from President Prabowo Subianto.
Once the Keppres is issued, these three athletes will officially become Indonesian citizens through an oath-taking ceremony organized by the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, followed by a federation transfer that will enable them to represent Indonesia on the national stage.
