ANTWERP, BELGIUM – OCTOBER 07: Gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat of Team Israel celebrates after winning the Men’s Floor Exercise Final on Day Eight of the 2023 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at Antwerp Sportpaleis on October 07, 2023 in Antwerp, Belgium. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
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Indonesian officials announced Thursday that they will block Israeli athletes from competing at the upcoming world gymnastics championships in Jakarta.
Yusril Ihza Mahendra, Indonesia’s senior minister of law, announced Thursday that “the (Indonesian) government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.”
The world gymnastics championships are the largest and most prestigious competition outside of the Olympic Games. With over 86 nations represented, this year’s premier competition is slated to begin on October 19 and run through October 25.
As a Muslim-majority nation, Indonesia’s decision comes after a history of national support for the people of Palestine. Despite the nation’s political leanings, the news marks a distinct departure from the treatment of the Israeli Gymnastics Federation on the international stage.
The Indonesian Gymnastics Federation had previously submitted a sponsorship letter for six Israeli athletes to obtain visas for this month’s competition. Additionally, the decision comes as a surprise due to FIG President Morinari Watanaba’s visit to the nation in late September.
During the visit, Watanaba was pictured with Israeli gymnasts and met with Israeli officials. They discussed the “long-standing and close relationship between the Israeli Gymnastics Association and the World Gymnastics Association.”
The talks also emphasized “the importance of the participation of Israeli gymnasts in the international arena as a whole and at the World Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, in particular.”
However, Indonesian officials announced Thursday that “the federation has withdrawn the sponsorship letter,” reflecting the nation’s long-standing intolerance for Israeli participation on Indonesian soil. The decision also comes despite Israel and Hamas having agreed to a ceasefire on Wednesday, October 9.
Among the six Israeli athletes is Olympic and World floor exercise champion Artem Dolgopyat. Dolgopyat was expected to contend for another World title in Jakarta; now, he cannot defend his title.
With just over a week remaining until the event’s start, Israel’s gymnastics faces its first major setback since the latest escalation of the conflict.
Though the global backlash against Israeli participation in athletics has reached many sports, this news marks its first significant impact on artistic gymnastics. The decision also mirrors the treatment of Russian and Belarusian athletes since the start of their nations’ war on Ukraine.
In 2024, Israeli gymnasts were controversially permitted to compete at the Paris Olympics while Russian and Belarusian athletes were forbidden from competing.
However, in a departure from previous rulings, Russian and Belarusian athletes have been approved to compete at the upcoming world championships under authorized neutral status (AIN). Their statuses – and those of the Israelis – will continue to be scrutinized moving forward.
The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and Israeli Gymnastics Federation have been contacted to comment on recent developments, and this story will be updated upon receipt of statements.