LAUSANNE, Switzerland , 23 October (H.S.): The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a stern rebuke to Indonesia on Wednesday, halting all future discussions about the nation hosting any Olympic-affiliated events. The decision comes after the Indonesian government denied visas to Israeli athletes scheduled to compete in the ongoing World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.
In a strongly-worded statement, the IOC Executive Board declared that no talks would be held with the Indonesian National Olympic Committee regarding the hosting of future Olympic Games, Youth Olympics, or any other IOC event.
This suspension will remain in effect until the Indonesian government provides clear guarantees that it will grant access to all eligible athletes, teams, and officials from every country without discrimination, a fundamental principle for any host nation.
The immediate trigger for the sanction was the exclusion of the Israeli delegation from the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, taking place from October 19-25. The Israel Gymnastics Federation had appealed the visa denial to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), but the appeal was rejected, preventing the athletes from participating.
The IOC has also recommended that all international sports federations refrain from awarding any sporting events or meetings to Indonesia until the necessary government guarantees are in place.
Furthermore, the IOC has summoned representatives from the Indonesian NOC and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to its headquarters in Lausanne to address the matter.Indonesia’s government has stated it denied the visas in a show of support for Palestine.
This is not the first time the country’s stance on Israeli participation has disrupted major sporting events.In March 2023, FIFA stripped Indonesia of the hosting rights for the U-20 World Cup after two provincial governors protested Israel’s involvement.
In July 2023, the nation also withdrew from hosting the ANOC World Beach Games due to similar disputes surrounding Israel’s participation.Both previous incidents occurred before the onset of the recent Israel-Hamas conflict, which is currently under a ceasefire.
The IOC’s latest action underscores its commitment to ensuring political neutrality and non-discrimination in international sport.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
