Indonesia understands the consequences of its decision to prevent Israeli gymnasts from participating in a world championship event held in Jakarta, its sports minister said on Thursday, adding that the move was designed to maintain public order.
Erick Thohir was responding to an International Olympic Committee statement urging all international sporting federations not to host sporting events in Indonesia.
The committee said it was also cutting off all discussions about any potential Olympic bid by Indonesia, which had already expressed interest in hosting the 2036 summer games.
“We adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order, and the public interest in hosting every international event,” Thohir said on his social media account, adding that the principle was part of Indonesia’s constitution and based on its obligation to maintain world order.
The world’s largest Muslim-majority country denied visas to Israeli athletes due to objections from the government as well as its council of Islamic clerics.
Jakarta said the move was in line with Indonesia’s policy of cutting ties with Israel until it recognizes the independence of a Palestinian state.
Thohir said Indonesia understands that as long as it declines to accept Israeli athletes, it would not be allowed to host any world championships, Olympic and Youth Olympic events, or other sporting events under the Olympic umbrella.
However, Indonesia is committed to continue playing an active role in various regional and international sporting events, he added.
Yael Arad, the head of the Olympic Committee of Israel, welcomed the IOC statement and thanked it for standing “firm against malicious attempts to disrupt global sports.”
The IOC had on Wednesday called for Indonesia to be banned from hosting any international sporting events after it denied Israeli gymnasts entry visas for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships that began last week in Jakarta, citing the country’s support for Palestinians as justification.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation had also submitted an urgent appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking an injunction to allow Israeli athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat, to take part. But the court rejected the request, leaving the Israeli athletes unable to compete.
In July 2023, Indonesia pulled out of hosting the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) World Beach Games 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 consistently refused 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.
There has been talk of Indonesia possibly normalizing its relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, and the country’s President Prabowo Subianto was widely reported last week to have been planning to visit Israel. Jakarta denied any visit was planned, and a source familiar with the matter told The Times of Israel that he had initially okayed a trip but backed out once the plan was leaked to the press, out of concern about domestic pushback.
