Michael Essien, Carlton Cole caught without work permits in Indonesia

Michael Essien and Carlton Cole are facing problems
in Indonesia after their new club admitted it had not
obtained work permits for the ex-English Premier
League players .
The two were signed with great fanfare last month
by Persib Bandung , one of the country ’ s best clubs ,
in a boost for Indonesian football as it seeks to
bounce back from a FIFA suspension and launch a
new league.
But the club is now set to be questioned by
immigration authorities after the government -
backed Professional Sports Agency found the players
did not have the required work permits .
The club admitted Monday the players , who made
their debuts in the country ’ s new top-flight Liga 1 at
the weekend, did not yet have the necessary
documents .
Persib said it had sought to process the paperwork a
few days before their first match . The permits were
not ready on time , but the football association and
league organiser gave them permission to play .
Manager Umuh Muchtar accused the sports agency ,
which reports to the government and monitors
foreign players in the country , of going too far.
“ That they are here is a joy for us , they want to raise
up Indonesia ’ s name in the world , ” he said .
He added: “ Everybody knows that Essien is a world -
class player , not an illegal immigrant .”
Immigration authorities Monday summoned the club
management but it was not clear when the
questioning would take place .
Immigration official Agustianur, who like many
Indonesians goes by one name, said: “ They are
professionals so they must hold a (work ) permit to
perform activities in Indonesia.”
The official did not indicate what next steps
authorities may take .
Essien, who is Ghanaian, has played for Chelsea, AC
Milan and Real Madrid. England’ s Cole has played for
Chelsea and West Ham .
Liga 1 replaces an old top-level league, which was
halted in 2015 due to a row between the government
and Indonesian FA that triggered turmoil and led to
the country being hit with a one -year ban by FIFA .
The new league and big -name signings are a major
boost for football in Southeast Asia’ s biggest nation,
which has faced problems for years.