The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has urged sports federations to avoid hosting events in Indonesia and halted 2036 Olympic bid talks, after the nation banned Israeli gymnasts from a world championship.
The IOC will only resume discussions if Indonesia’s government assures that all athletes, irrespective of nationality, will be eligible to compete in future events.
Indonesia has repeatedly expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics, but Wednesday’s IOC decision has effectively ended the country’s hopes of securing the Games.
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, denied visas to Israeli gymnasts earlier this month amid an outcry over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, meaning they could not take part in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships that began last week in Jakarta.
Commenting on the decision at the time, senior legal affairs minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra cited objections to Israel’s participation from the government in Jakarta and from groups such as a council of Islamic clerics.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation called Indonesia’s decision shocking and heartbreaking.
The IOC also said in its statement on Wednesday that it would change qualification principles to include guarantees for access of all athletes, irrespective of nationality, for any qualification event for an Olympic Games.
It also ordered the Indonesian Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to attend a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss the matter. It did not provide a date for the meeting.
Indonesia has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, and has strongly criticized Israel over the Gaza war, even after this month’s ceasefire took effect.
