Indonesia responds to Olympic consequences for barring Israeli gymnasts from world championships

Indonesian Minister of Sport Erick Thohir has responded to the recent global backlash and the consequences of denying visas to the Israeli national gymnastics team for the world championships in Jakarta. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommended this week that no international sporting events be held in Indonesia, adding it is ending any discussions with the country about hosting the Olympics in the future after the decision to bar Team Israel. 

Thohir defended his country’s decision in a statement Thursday. 

“We adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order and the public interest in hosting every international event,” Thohir said.

During a press conference Friday, Thohir gave a more elaborate response. 

“This is indeed part of maintaining our nation’s dignity, in line with the 1945 constitution,” he said, via Indonesian outlet Detikcom. “We must be an independent nation, but, at the same time, we must also be a nation that maintains global security. … This is something that is still under discussion.”

Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians. The scheduled participation of Israeli athletes had sparked intense opposition within the country.

Indonesia was previously stripped of its right to host football’s under-20 World Cup when the governor of Bali refused to host Team Israel in a game in 2023. In July of that same year, Indonesia pulled out of hosting the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games following controversy over Israel’s participation.

Morinari Watanabe, the president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), spoke out about it and addressed the issue Saturday at the world championships. 

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“I agree [with] the statement of the IOC,” Watanabe said. “Sports is separate from politics. All athletes have an equal right to participate in the sports event. The IOC and FIG must protect that right. This is for the Olympic charter we are writing.”

Watanabe added that FIG “deeply regrets” the lack of protection for the Israeli gymnasts but expressed respect for the Indonesian government’s decision. 

“At FIG, we deeply regret that we are unable to protect the rights of one country’s athletes this time. But, on the other hand, with the global situation changing, how to protect participating athletes is a challenge,” he said. “We have heard from the Indonesian government that this was a measure of ensuring safety of participating athletes, including one country’s athletes, and also people of the city, Jakarta city. So, the reason is not political. This is what we are hear[ing].” 

Indonesia’s sanction is just the latest example of restrictions placed on Israel’s sports teams and fans in recent months. 

The Israel Premier Tech cycling team has been excluded from an upcoming race in Italy, the Giro dell’Emilia, scheduled for Oct. 4, over potentially disruptive pro-Palestinian protests.

The UEFA Europa League, Europe’s biggest soccer body, was reportedly moving toward a vote to suspend Israel over the war in Gaza in September. 

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced no action would be taken against the team Oct. 3. He reportedly later met privately at FIFA headquarters with the leader of the Palestinian soccer federation, Jibril Rajoub, and praised his organization “for their resilience at this time,” per The Associated Press. 

Fans of Israeli teams have been barred from recent major events as well. 

Fans of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv are prohibited from attending a Europa League game in Birmingham, England, Nov. 6, over safety concerns, after the team’s fans were attacked in Amsterdam at a game against Ajax last fall.

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