The Indonesian government has denied visas to Israeli gymnasts, while the International Gymnastics Federation has yet to respond decisively. In contrast, the International Olympic Committee issued a statement condemning discrimination against Israeli athletes.
Released Friday, October 17, the IOC statement emphasizes that sport exists within society and that sporting organizations, as part of the Olympic Movement, must uphold political neutrality.
The Olympic Charter recognises that “sport occurs within the framework of society” and that “sports organisations within the Olympic Movement shall apply political neutrality.” This principle is further reinforced by repeated United Nations General Assembly resolutions, which affirm both the autonomy of sport and the neutrality of the IOC. Far from being merely symbolic, these resolutions serve as a call to protect the sacred space of sport from the world’s political and social divisions, ensuring that athletes can compete freely and that sport can continue to unite people across all boundaries.
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships are set to take place from October 19 at Indonesia Arena, which has a capacity of 16,500. Athletes from 86 countries will compete individually in all-around events. However, on Tuesday, October 7, Yusir Mahendra, Senior Minister of Law, made a discriminatory remark, stating that “the government will not grant visas to Israeli gymnasts who intend to attend the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.”
The IOC expressed concern over restrictions on athletes’ access to host countries, as well as boycotts and cancellations of competitions due to political tensions. According to the statement:
“These actions deprive athletes of their right to compete peacefully and prevent the Olympic Movement from demonstrating the power of sport.”
The committee also highlighted that the principles of Olympism must be protected to ensure the Olympic Games and sport remain politically neutral. The statement further condemned the impact of wars on countless innocent lives, stressing that every victim of conflict is one too many.
Sport’s ability to unite was undeniably demonstrated at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees and the Refugee Olympic Team lived harmoniously in the Olympic Village and competed peacefully on the field of play. In this spirit, the IOC Executive Board is committed to finding a pathway for every NOC to participate with their athletes in the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
