Indonesia on Thursday doubled down on its decision to ban Israeli gymnasts from the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships currently taking place in Jakarta, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the body governing the Olympic Games, called on the previous day on global sports associations not to stage events in the Muslim-majority country.
Indonesian Sports and Youth Minister Erick Thohir tweeted that Jakarta knew that the ban “carries consequences,” but has decided to “adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order, and public interest in every international event organized.”
“On that basis, Indonesia has taken steps to avoid the arrival of the Israeli delegation at the Gymnastics World Championships,” he wrote in Indonesian.
Kami di Kemenpora, sebagai wakil Pemerintah Indonesia, berpegang pada prinsip untuk menjaga keamanan, ketertiban umum dan kepentingan publik dalam setiap penyelenggaraan event internasional. Langkah ini sesuai dengan ketentuan peraturan perundang-undangan yang berlaku. Prinsip… pic.twitter.com/c7uYsiT2bW
— Erick Thohir (@erickthohir) October 23, 2025
On Wednesday, the IOC’s executive board said it was ceasing “any form of dialogue” with Indonesia over its decision to ban Israeli athletes.
“All eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country,” the board said, having met remotely this week.
Thus, the IOC decided to cease Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences in Indonesia until equal access of all athletes is guaranteed.
It moreover requested that the international sports federations include guarantees on access for athletes to whichever country any Olympic qualification competition around the world is being held in.
The executive board urged the Indonesian Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to send representatives to Lausanne, Switzerland, where the IOC’s headquarters are located, to discuss the situation.
Indonesia’s boycott of Israel’s gymnasts meant that 2020 Olympic gold medalist and defending world champion in the floor exercise Artem Dolgopyat could not compete this year.
“The government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta,” Yusril Ihza Mahendra, the coordinating minister for legal, human rights, immigration and correction, said on Oct. 9, according to the Associated Press.
The FIG’s following statement on the matter effectively supported Jakarta’s decision.
Jakarta Gov. Pramono Anung told reporters earlier in October that the presence of the athletes would “obviously spark public outrage” in light of the Jewish state’s two-year war against Hamas in Gaza, AP reported.
