The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suspended all dialogue with Indonesia on hosting future Olympic or related events after the country refused to issue visas to Israeli gymnasts competing at the World
Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.
The decision follows Indonesia’s move to bar the Israeli delegation, citing solidarity with Palestinians — a stance that led to an appeal from the Israeli Gymnastics Federation to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The CAS dismissed the appeal, leaving Israeli athletes unable to compete in the October 19–25 championships.
IOC Committed To ‘Non-Discrimination’
The IOC said on Wednesday that its executive board reaffirmed its commitment to non-discrimination in sport, stating that “all eligible athletes, teams and officials must be allowed to compete without restriction.”
As a result, the IOC has frozen discussions with Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee regarding any potential hosting of the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, or IOC conferences.
It also urged international federations to avoid staging competitions in Indonesia until the government provides written guarantees of entry for all participants, regardless of nationality.
Repercussions
The standoff marks the third time Indonesia has lost hosting rights due to its refusal to admit Israeli athletes. In 2023, it withdrew from the ANOC World Beach Games and was stripped of the FIFA U-20 World Cup after regional officials objected to Israel’s inclusion.
The IOC has requested that representatives from Indonesia’s NOC and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) meet in Lausanne to review the fallout from the incident.
(with AFP inputs)
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