International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken the unprecedented step of suspending Indonesia’s eligibility to host any future Olympic-related or international sporting events after the Southeast Asian nation refused to grant entry visas to Israeli athletes competing in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships currently taking place in Jakarta.
Indonesia’s government cited Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza as the reason for denying entry to the Israeli delegation, sparking widespread criticism from international sporting bodies and igniting fresh debate over the intersection of politics and sport.
According to a statement released by the IOC Executive Board, the committee has decided to “end any form of dialogue with the National Olympic Committee of Indonesia regarding hosting future editions of the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences.”
The IOC further stated that the suspension will remain in place “until Indonesia can provide adequate guarantees that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality, to attend.”
In a move with potentially far-reaching consequences for Indonesian sports, the IOC also announced that it would “recommend to all international federations not to host any international sports events or meetings in Indonesia.”
This directive effectively isolates Indonesia from hosting major global competitions across all sports — unless the government reverses its stance and commits to the Olympic Charter’s principles of non-discrimination.
The Israeli Gymnastics Federation (IGF) condemned both Indonesia’s decision and the perceived lack of enforcement from the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), calling the situation “a dangerous precedent” for global sport.
Among the affected athletes is Artem Dolgopyat, the reigning world floor champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold medallist, who was barred from entering Indonesia. Dolgopyat, 28, is also a two-time European champion and one of Israel’s most decorated gymnasts.
The IGF filed an urgent appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking provisional measures to ensure Israeli participation or relocate the event. However, CAS rejected the request, allowing the championships to proceed in Jakarta without the Israeli contingent.
In its statement, the IOC revealed that it has summoned representatives from both the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) to Lausanne, Switzerland, for discussions over the incident.
The IOC emphasized that it had used the meeting of its executive board this week to “remind all Olympic Movement stakeholders of the importance of free and unfettered access to host countries for all participants.”
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, does not maintain formal diplomatic relations with Israel. Despite earlier assurances that Israeli athletes would be welcomed at the event, the government reversed its position amid mounting domestic pressure and escalating violence in Gaza.
The decision follows previous controversies — including Indonesia’s loss of hosting rights for the 2023 FIFA Under-20 World Cup after refusing to welcome the Israeli national football team — a move that similarly drew global condemnation.
Credit Photo : FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP
