Indonesia bars Israeli gymnasts from World Championships

The Indonesian government has barred the participation of Israeli athletes in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships taking place in Jakarta on Oct. 19-25.

The decision means that 2020 Olympic gold medalist and defending world champion in the floor exercise Artem Dolgopyat will not compete this year.

“The government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta,” Yusril Ihza Mahendra, the coordinating minister for legal, human rights, immigration and correction, said on Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

International Gymnastics Federation’s supported Indonesia’s decision

Israel learned of the decision through international media and then received an official notice from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) on Friday. 

The Israeli athletes were scheduled to travel on Monday.

The International Gymnastics Federation’s statement on the matter on Friday effectively supported Indonesia’s decision.

“The FIG takes note of the Indonesian government’s decision not to issue visas to the Israeli delegation registered for the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics … and recognizes the challenges that the host country has faced in organizing this event. The FIG hopes that an environment will be created as soon as possible where athletes around the world can enjoy sports safely and with peace of mind,” it read.

In July, Indonesian officials said that Israel’s participation was guaranteed

In July, the Israel Gymnastics Federation cited Indonesian officials as saying that Israel’s participation was guaranteed, AP reported.

The Indonesian Gymnastics Federation had previously submitted a sponsorship letter for six Israeli athletes to obtain visas, but Indonesian Minister Mahendra said that the federation has since “withdrawn the sponsorship letter,” the report added.

Calls to boycott the Israelis in the Muslim-majority nation increased in recent days, both on social media and from Indonesian politicians.

The presence of the athletes would “obviously spark public outrage”

Jakarta Gov. Pramono Anung told reporters on Wednesday that the presence of the athletes would “obviously spark public outrage” in light of the Jewish state’s two-year war against Hamas in Gaza, AP reported.

Indonesia’s highest Islamic body joined the calls to exclude the Jewish state, saying that barring Israelis from competing in sports events is a statement that “all forms of colonialism must be abolished because they are contrary to humanity and justice.”

The Israel Gymnastics Federation said that together with the Olympic Committee of Israel and the Ministry of Culture and Sports, it “intends to challenge this outrageous decision and to appeal to legal authorities in order to obtain an injunction preventing the competition from being held without the Israeli delegation,” Hebrew-language outlet Davar reported.

Israel: "We will not stand by and will fight this with every legal means at our disposal”

“This is a red line that has been crossed—a disgraceful and weak decision that represents a slippery slope toward the exclusion of Israeli athletes now and in the future. We will not stand by and will fight this with every legal means at our disposal,” the Israel Gymnastics Federation added.

Yael Arad, a member of the Olympic Committee of Israel and the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal, as a judoka in Barcelona in 1992, was quoted by Ynet as saying, “We have made extensive efforts in recent weeks, alongside the Israeli Olympic Committee and other international parties, to allow Israeli apparatus gymnasts to participate.”

She added, “We still expect FIG and the Indonesian government to respect the Olympic Charter and permit the Israeli team to compete like all other delegations. If not, we will pursue all available avenues.”

© JNS