Indonesia does not receive Israeli gymnasiums at the World Championships »International Federation's reaction

Israel was among the 86 countries registered at the World Championships, who will start in Jakarta on October 19, to send six gymnasiums and gymnasiums, including Artem Dolgopyat, Olympic champion in Tokyo and Vice -Champion in Paris to the ground, but Indonesia will not give them visa.

The Israeli Gymnastics Federation stressed in July that it has received insurance from Indonesian officials that it will be welcome at the world competition. This would have contradicted the long -term policy of Indonesia to refuse to host Israeli sports delegations at major events, AFP reports.

On Thursday, Indonesian Minister of Justice, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, clarified that the Israeli team will not be admitted in the country, despite the fact that Israel and Hamas have agreed on an armistice.. “The Government will not give visas to the Israeli gymnasiums who intend to participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships,” said Mahendra, quoted by AFP.

He added, in a video statement, that the decision is in accordance with the previous directives of the Indonesian President Prabowo Subaentto, expressed on various occasions, and most recently in his speech at the UN General Assembly, in which he firmly condemned Israel for his continuous attacks on the Gaza Strip.

Mahendra acknowledged that the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation has previously filed a letter in which it supported visa for six Israeli athletes, but that “the federation withdrew the letter.”

Indignation in Indonesia on social networks

In recent days, Indonesian politicians and moderate Muslim groups have intensified calls for the Israeli team to be excluded from the world competition.

To these have joined a series of indignation comments on social networks, from users who oppose the arrival of athletes in a country, which they say they commit genocide.

The governor of Jakarte, Pramon, said, said that such a humanitarian catastrophe, resulting from the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, is unbearable and that the arrival of Israeli athletes would cause a profound emotional suffering to the majority of Indonesians. “Their presence would obviously arouse public indignation in such a situation,” said reporters.

MUI, the highest Islamic authority in Indonesia, has urged all the communities that support Palestinian independence to extend the exclusion of the Israeli team. “By refusing to allow Israeli athletes to compete in the sports arena, we want to say that all forms of colonialism must be abolished, because they are contrary to humanity and justice,” said Amirsyah Tambunan, Secretary General of MUI.

Reaction to the International Gymnastics Federation

The International Gymnastics Federation (Fig) issued a statement after things were precipitated.

“The figure of the decision of the Indonesian government not to issue visas to the Israeli delegation registered at the 53rd edition of the World Championships, which will take place in Jakarta on October 19-25, and recognizes the challenges with which the host country in organizing this competition will be able to create a sportsman, peace of mind ”, is shown in the statement.

Ita Yuliati Irawan, the president of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation, said that the International Gymnastics Federation has expressed support for this decision. “Fig officially stated that she supports the decision taken by the Indonesian government,” she said in a press conference.

Eyal Indig, Artem Dolgopyat, Ron Pyatov, Lihie Raz, Roni Shamay and Yali Shoshani were the six Israelis to evolve at the Jakarta World Championships.