Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Reuters: US military carried out a new strike targeting a ship in the Caribbean Sea
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli raids targeted a cement plant, an asphalt factory, and fuel tanks in the Ansar area in South Lebanon
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: A series of violent Israeli raids targeted the outskirts of the town of Ansar
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli warplanes raided the outskirts of the town of Shmestar in Bekaa, eastern Lebanon
Donald Trump will speak with Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Thursday: White House
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli warplanes raid the town of Bnaafoul, Saida district
YAF: Israeli enemy will pay for this crime.
Yemeni Armed Forces: Son of Major General Al-Ghamari martyred alongside him in Israeli aggression.
Yemeni Armed Forces: YAF mourns martyrdom of Chief of the General Staff Mohammad Abd al-Karim al-Ghamari.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Palestinian shot and killed by IOF east of Al-Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip

Indonesia risks losing World Beach Games over banning Israeli athletes

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 18 Jun 2023 16:47
  • 1 Shares
2 Min Read

Indonesia might lose hosting the 2023 World Beach Games after an official raised concerns about Israeli athletes competing in the competition.

  • x
  • On March 20, 2023, Indonesians during a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, demand the rejection of the participation of Israel's team in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. (AFP)
    Indonesians during a rally in Jakarta, Indonesia, demand the rejection of the participation of "Israel's" team in the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, on March 20, 2023 (AFP)

On the Indonesian island of Bali, the 2023 World Beach Games will take place between August 5 and August 12. Athletes will compete in 14 different sports, including beach volleyball and surfing.

The Games were first hosted in Qatar in 2019, but the following competitions were postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In the meantime, Bali's Governor Wayan Koster underlined in April that Israeli athletes are not welcome to the sporting event, citing the preamble to the Indonesian Constitution, which calls for the universal abolition of colonialism and the nation's unwavering support for the Palestinian cause against the Israeli occupation.

Read: "Israel’s" weapon of choice: Anti-Semitism

Since the occupation of Palestine in 1948, the preamble has prohibited Israeli settlers from traveling to Indonesia.

"I remain consistent in refusing the Israeli team’s participation in the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali," Koster told The Jakarta Post newspaper.

In the most populous Muslim country in the world, support for the Palestinian cause is at an all-time high due to the Israeli occupation's horrendous atrocities against Palestinians.

Read: 'Israel' demands UN investigators to quit, citing 'anti-Semitism'

Following protests over the participation of the Israeli occupation, FIFA, the world's governing body of football, revoked in March Indonesia's privilege to host the 2023 FIFA Under-20 Men's World Cup in six cities from May 20 to June 11.

Additionally, FIFA barred the Indonesian side from the Argentina-based competition and limited financial support for the Football Association of Indonesia.

Read: Could Indonesia, "Israel" normalize relations? - The Diplomat

Koster had previously objected to the Israeli football team's participation in Bali and charged FIFA with applying different standards to the war in Ukraine while turning a blind eye to "Israel's" violations against Palestinians.

"I invite the people of Bali to pray together so that FIFA will be moved to act fairly by eliminating the Israeli team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the same way it did when eliminating the Russian team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar," he stated at the time.

  • Bali
  • Palestine
  • FIFA
  • Israeli occupation
  • Indonesia
  • Israel
  • World Beach Games

Most Read

Iran strikes secret Israeli-US bunker under Tel Aviv high-rise

Tel Aviv high-rise struck by Iran hid Site 81, secret US-Israeli base

  • Politics
  • 14 Oct 2025
Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jaafarawi in an undated image in Gaza, occupied Palestine (Social media)

Gaza Palestinian journalist Saleh al-Jafarawi killed by collaborators

  • Politics
  • 12 Oct 2025
drop site

New report details extensive Israeli arson in Gaza after ceasefire

  • Politics
  • 13 Oct 2025
Illustration of fists breaking shackles, representing the liberation of Palestinian detainees from Israeli prisons. (Illustrated by: AL Mayadeen English/Batoul Chamas)

4 prominent Palestinian detainees to be freed: Who are they?

  • Palestine
  • 13 Oct 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
The bodies of deceased Palestinians, held by Israel during the war, lie in plastic bags on the floor of Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, following their release, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025 (AP)
Politics

'Israel' returns 30 Palestinian bodies; some bear marks of torture

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of war debris as crisis deepens
Politics

Gaza buried under 70 million tons of debris, 20,000 lingering UXOs

Ex-White House adviser Ashley Tellis charged over secret files
Politics

Ex-White House advisor accused of amassing troves of top secret files

An Israeli soldier rests by a mobile artillery unit at a gathering point on the border with the Gaza Strip, in southern “Israel”, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. (AP)
Politics

Global arms bans isolate 'Israel', yet its war machine keeps running

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS