The International Olympic Committee on Friday hit out at the Indonesian government’s refusal to issue visas for Israeli athletes at the upcoming gymnastics World Championships.
Last week, Indonesian authorities denied Israeli gymnasts entry visas for the championships that start on Sunday, before the Israeli Gymnastics Federation appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), demanding that it either guaranteed their athletes’ presence or forced a move or cancellation of the event.
But CAS rejected the appeal, meaning that Israeli athletes will not compete in the October 19-23 championships in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.
In a statement released on Friday, the IOC expressed “great concern” over the Indonesian decision and said it would “discuss the specific situation” of the Asian country at its next Executive Board meeting.
“The IOC’s principled position is very clear: all eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to participate in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination from the host country,” the IOC said.
“It is therefore the direct responsibility of the host country, the organizer and the sports organizations directly concerned to make sure that this principle is fully respected,” it added.
“Sport must remain a safe space for athletes to fulfill their dreams; and athletes must not be held responsible for political decisions.”
A general view shows Indonesia Arena which will host the the 53rd Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta on October 10, 2025. (Yasuyoshi Chiba/AFP)
Last week, the Indonesian government said that it would not allow entry to Israeli gymnasts, citing support for Palestinians.
In similar incidents prior to the recent global backlash against Israel over the war with Hamas in Gaza, Indonesia pulled out of hosting the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games in July 2023, following controversy over Israel’s participation.
In March that year, Indonesia lost the hosting rights to the FIFA Under-20 World Cup after two governors objected to Israel’s participation.
The country has drawn a clear line for decades, maintaining a consistent refusal to host Israeli delegations since the 1962 Asian Games when Israel and Taiwan were excluded from Jakarta.
Indonesia has no formal ties with Israel, but Israeli nationals or their sponsors, such as Indonesian-based businesses or Indonesian nationals, can apply for a short-term visa under the “calling visa” procedure.
Israeli nationals with dual passports can also enter Indonesia using their other passport.
