Blues youngster Elkan Baggott has written to the Indonesian FA [PSSI] outlining why he was unable to join up with their full international squad for a training camp ahead of World Cup qualifiers in Dubai in June.
The 19-year-old had been named in the senior squad for the first time, having previously won caps at U19 level, ahead of the get-together in preparation for the group matches against Thailand, Vietnam and the UAE, all of which were played in Dubai.
However, Baggott didn’t travel and in a recent statement PSSI general chair Mochamad Iriawan accused the defender of refusing to play, while it was suggested he might be instead be looking to represent other nations.
This led to the young centre-half’s legion of Instagram followers making their frustrations known.
But Baggott has now set the record state via a letter to Iriawan posted on the PSSI’s website.
"Firstly I would like to deeply apologise for not attending the training camp in Dubai,” he wrote.
"The reason for this is at the time the English Government and my club were advising me not to attend as the Covid situation in Dubai was bad. Therefore, if I travelled I would have felt at risk.
"Thankfully now the Covid situation is a lot better in England and in Indonesia as many people have had the vaccines.
"I am now ready to defend and give my all for the national team to get it where it belongs. Hopefully you can understand my reasoning.”
In response, Iriawan told the PSSI website: "From my point of view, defending the Indonesian national team is the right of all players.
"We have forgiven him and asked him to join the Indonesian national team if needed by the coach.”
Baggott, a former pupil at St Benedict's Catholic College in Colchester, was born in Thailand to an English father and Indonesian mother.
The 6ft 4in tall centre-half, who finished last season on loan at King’s Lynn, won his first U19s caps during a training camp in Croatia in October last year and was subsequently forced to miss an U19s get together in Spain in December due to Covid travel restrictions.
Baggott made his senior Blues debut in the Papa John’s Trophy tie against Gillingham last season and was an unused sub for the League One games against Sunderland and Crewe in January.
He signed his first professional contract with Town in January, a deal which runs to 2023 with the club having an option to keep him for a further season.