Friday 10/October/2025 – 08:09 PM
President declared Indonesian Gymnastics FederationIta Giuliati said on Friday that Indonesia has refused to grant entry visas to the players of the Israeli gymnastics team, which prevents them from participating in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, scheduled in Jakarta from October 19 to 25.
The full story of Indonesia’s refusal to grant entry visas to Israeli gymnasts
This decision comes amid escalating popular anger in Indonesia, which has a Muslim majority, due to the ongoing Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, in addition to well-established political positions that reject any form of normalization with Israel.
The Indonesian Minister of Legal Affairs, Yusril Isa Mahindra, said that the government decided not to issue visas, in response to objections from local organizations, most notably the Council of Islamic Religious Scholars, in addition to objections from the government of the capital, Jakarta.
Yusril explained, in an official statement: The decision is consistent with the established policy of Indonesia, which refuses to establish any relations with Israel, until the latter recognizes the State of Palestine as an independent, fully sovereign state.
The Israeli Gymnastics Federation has not yet issued any comment on the decision, despite previous assurances that the team will participate in the tournament, which is considered one of the most prominent international events of the game this year.
The Indonesian Gymnastics Federation’s accounts on social media witnessed widespread interaction, as hundreds of users expressed their support for the decision, in posts that carried messages of solidarity with the Palestinian people, and rejection of Israel’s participation in any sporting event on Indonesian soil.
Indonesia is one of the countries that does not maintain official diplomatic relations with Israel, and it has previously taken similar positions in previous international sporting events, in which it refused to receive Israeli athletes on its territory.
