## Teh Sports Examiner: Indonesia and Japan Undermine Olympic Principles on Israeli Athletes

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≡ ANALYSIS & OBSERVATIONS ≡

One of the core values promoted by former International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) was this line, from his 2022 address to the Association of National olympic Committees:

“Athletes should never be the victims of policies of their own government.”

In October 2023,the IOC,referring to the situation of Russian and Belarusian athletes in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,stated:

“[I]t cannot be up to the governments to decide which athlete can take part in which competitions. This would be the end of international sport as we know it.”

Now, just two years later, two IOC members seem to have forgotten this concept entirely:

● Indonesia’s Erick Thohir, the national Youth and Sports Minister, who joined the IOC in 2019 and backed the government’s decision to refuse visas to the six-athlete Israeli delegation for the FIG World Artistic Championships that start in Jakarta on 19 October.

He wrote on Threads:

“1. We express our gratitude to NOC Indonesia, indonesia Gymnastics Association (Persani), and Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG) as the world gymnastics federation that has understood this situation and taken the necessary steps to ensure that the World Gymnastics Championships can be run safely and orderly.

“2. Never doubt the commitment of the Government and Mr. President in building Indonesian sports to be able to stand in line with the nations of the world.

“3. Indonesia has no diplomatic relations with Israel, we in Kemenpora as part of the Government remain firm on that principle.”

● Japan’s Morinari Watanabe, the President of the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique, an IOC member since 2018 and a candidate for the IOC Presidency last March. His federation,faced with the decision by the Indonesian government to refuse entry to Israeli athletes,is

Indonesia ban Creates Crisis for gymnastics and Olympic Leadership

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) could suspend the Indonesian federation for violating both its own rules and the Olympic Charter. A four-year ban would prevent Indonesian gymnasts from competing in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

FIG has already awarded the 2026 Artistic Worlds to Rotterdam (NED) and the 2027 event to Chengdu, China. A potential solution could be awarding the 2029 Artistic Worlds to Israel – likely Tel Aviv – with Indonesia responsible for covering all event costs. If direct payment to the Israel Gymnastics Federation is unpalatable, FIG could receive the funds and forward them.

These are just some of the options now being considered.

¶

IOC President Kirsty Coventry (ZIM) now faces significant challenges, notably with IOC members Thohir and Watanabe, who appear to have overlooked the IOC’s policy regarding athletes and government interference.

The situation also raises questions about the National Olympic Committee of Indonesia, which supported the government’s ban on Israeli athletes. Will they face any consequences?

Ultimately, Indonesia and FIG have once again opened a Pandora’s Box, creating a complex problem for international sports governance.

Thohir’s statement on Threads highlighted, “Indonesia has no diplomatic re