NEWNow you can listen to Fox News articles!
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommends that international sporting events not be held in Indonesia after banned Israeli National gymnastics team from the World Championships in Jakarta. In addition, the IOC is ending any negotiations with Indonesia to host the Olympic Games in the future.
“These actions deny athletes the right to compete peacefully and prevent the Olympic Movement from demonstrating the power of sport.” IOC This is stated in a statement from the executive board.
Earlier this month, an Indonesian government official said Israeli athletes would be denied visas to compete in the championships, which begin Oct. 19.
The 2020 Olympic gold medalist and current world champion Artem Dolgopyat participated in the men's floor exercise as part of the Israeli team.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS RESOURCES ON FOXNEWS.COM
The Israeli team competes in the group all-around finals in rhythmic gymnastics at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Porte de la Chapelle on August 10, 2024 in Paris. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority country and has long been a staunch supporter of the Palestinians. The planned participation of Israeli athletes caused intense opposition within the country. The IOC initially condemned the sanctions in a statement released Friday.
“The IOC's position of principle is very clear: all eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to participate in international sporting competitions and events without any form of discrimination on the part of the host country, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, autonomy and political neutrality that govern the Olympic Movement,” it said. IOC statement.
“It is therefore the direct responsibility of the host country, the organizer and the sports organizations directly concerned to ensure full compliance with this principle and to provide all necessary guarantees from the relevant authorities of the host country in advance.”
CRUZ RESPONSES TO ISRAEL'S CHARGES OF 'GENOCIDE' AND INSISTS ON CONSEQUENCES
Chinese President Xi Jinping (right) shakes hands with Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on April 1, 2024. (Xinhua News Agency)
Indonesia said it would not issue visas to the Israeli team due to the war in the Gaza Strip. Then, on Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Israel's request to intervene.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) issued a statement regarding the sanctions.
“The rules are clear and Indonesia's actions constitute a flagrant violation of them. It is inconceivable that a country could ban another country from participating in the World Cup while its governing bodies fail to act,” the statement, relayed via the BBC, said.
“This decision undermines the very foundations of the sport and fair competition and is a serious blow to the morale of the gymnasts and staff who have worked tirelessly for this moment.”
Morinari Watanabe speaks at a press conference after speaking to fellow IOC members on January 30, 2025 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Fabrice Coffrini/Poole/Getty Images)
This was stated by the President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), Morinari Watanabe, who spoke on Saturday at the World Championships.
“I agree [with] IOC statement,” Watanabe said. “Sports are separate from politics. All athletes have an equal right to participate in a sporting event. The IOC and FIG must protect this right. This is for the sake of the Olympic Charter that we are writing.”
Watanabe added that FIFA “deeply regrets” the lack of protection for Israeli gymnasts, but expressed respect for the Indonesian government's decision.
“We at the FIG deeply regret that this time we cannot protect the rights of athletes from one country. But on the other hand, with the changing global situation, how to protect the participating athletes becomes a challenging task,” he said. “We heard from the Indonesian government that this was a measure to ensure the safety of the participating athletes, including athletes from one country, as well as residents of the city of Jakarta, so the reason is not political. This is what we hear.[ing]”
Indonesia was previously denied the right to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup when the governor of Bali refused to host the Israeli team at the game.
Indonesia's latest sanction is just the latest example of restrictions imposed on Israeli sports teams and fans in recent months.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Israeli gymnasts' silver medalists celebrate after the rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Porte de la Chapelle in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP)
Prime Minister of Israel The technical cycling team has been excluded from the upcoming race in Italy, the Giro del Emilia, scheduled for October 4, due to potentially devastating consequences. pro-Palestinian protests.
The UEFA Europa League, Europe's largest football body, was reportedly moving towards a vote to remove Israel from the Gaza war in September.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that no action would be taken against the team on October 3. He later reportedly met privately at FIFA headquarters with Palestinian football federation leader Jibril Rajoub and praised his organization “for its resilience during this time,” the Associated Press reported.
Fans of Israeli teams have also been banned from recent major events.
Fans Israeli The Maccabi Tel Aviv soccer team is banned from attending a Europa League game in Birmingham, England, on Nov. 6 due to security concerns after the team's fans were attacked in Amsterdam during a game against Ajax last fall.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital sports reporting on Xand subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
