International sport federations will be told not to allow Indonesia to host events following the country’s ban on Israeli athletes.
Indonesia said it would not grant visas to the Israel team for the ongoing World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta because of the country’s military offensive in Gaza.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) could not find a resolution to the decision, which the Israeli Gymnastics Federation (IGF) said set a “dangerous precedent” - as it also criticised the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).
In response, the IOC executive board met this week and have decided to “end any form of dialogue” with the National Olympic Committee of Indonesia “about hosting future editions of the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences”.
It stated that this ban would remain in place until the Indonesian governing body could provide “adequate guarantees that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality, to attend”.
Additionally, the IOC will “recommend to all international federations not to host any international sports events or meetings in Indonesia”.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel but the IGF says it had been given assurances its delegation would be welcome at the championships.
Among the athletes unable to compete are defending world floor champion Artem Dolgopyat.
The 28-year-old won Olympic floor gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver in Paris last year. He is also a two-time European champion.
The IGF made a request to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) for urgent provisional measures to guarantee Israeli participation, or to move or cancel the event, but this was rejected.
Following its meeting this week, the IOC said it has also asked Indonesia’s Olympic committee and the FIG “to come to the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss the situation that occurred”.
The IOC’s executive board added that it “took the opportunity” at its meeting “to remind all Olympic Movement stakeholders of the importance of free and unfettered access to the respective country for all participants to attend international competitions without restrictions”.
Source: BBC
- Agencies
