Country Defends Banning Athletes From Israel After Olympic Committee Urged Boycott
Indonesia defended its decision to block Israeli gymnasts from a world championship event Thursday, saying the move maintains public order despite pushback from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Sports Minister Erick Thohir said Jakarta understands the consequences of preventing Israeli athletes from participating in the gymnastics world championship held in the capital, according to Times of Israel.
“We at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, as representatives of the Indonesian Government, adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order, and public interest in every international event organized,” Thohir said on his social media account, according to a translation.
He added that the principle is part of Indonesia’s constitution and is motivated by an obligation to “uphold world order.”
Thohir responded to an IOC statement urging all international sporting federations not to host sporting events in Indonesia. The committee also cut off all discussions about any possible Olympic bid by Indonesia, which had expressed interest in hosting the 2036 summer games.
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
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