Indonesia faces IOC sanctions for banning Israeli athletes
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The International Olympic Committee suspends Indonesia's bid to host future Olympic Games after Jakarta denied visas to Israeli gymnasts.
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Olympic rings are pictured on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, in Salt Lake City, while people gather to watch a live stream from Paris as the International Olympic Committee awards Salt Lake City the 2034 Winter Olympics (AP)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) urged international sports federations not to host any sports events in Indonesia, following the country's decision to ban Israeli gymnasts from a world championship taking place there this month.
The IOC said in a statement on Wednesday that it was cutting off all discussions regarding any potential Olympic Games bid by Indonesia, adding that this suspension would remain until the government provided clear assurances that all athletes, regardless of their nationality, would be guaranteed eligibility to compete in the future.
The IOC also stated it would change qualification principles in order to include guarantees for the access of all athletes, regardless of their nationality, to any event that serves as an Olympic Games qualifier.
Indonesia bans Israeli gymnasts
Indonesia, which is the world's largest Muslim-majority country, denied visas to Israeli gymnasts earlier this month, a decision made amid an outcry over the Israeli war on Gaza. This denial meant the athletes could not participate in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships that started last week in Jakarta.
Senior legal affairs minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra commented on the decision at the time, citing objections to "Israel's" participation from the government in Jakarta and from groups, such as the Council of Islamic Clerics.
The IOC also ordered the Indonesian Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to attend a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss the matter, although it did not provide a date for that meeting.
IOC faces backlash for bias toward 'Israel'
It is worth noting that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has faced criticism for its apparent double standards in applying its rules. While Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from international competitions following the war in Ukraine, Israeli athletes continue to compete without sanction despite the ongoing military operations in Gaza and other occupied territories.
The IOC is even going as far as sanctioning any country that bans Israeli athletes over the Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Critics argue that the IOC’s selective enforcement undermines its claims of political neutrality and raises questions about consistency and fairness in the global sporting arena.
