IOC rejects Indonesia’s 2036 Olympic bid
IOC ended formal dialogue as Nusantara was to join bids from Ahmadabad in India, Doha in Qatar and North Jeolla Province in South Korea among others in the 2036 Olympics race. NOC's warned to exclude Indonesia from hosting events.
IOC/Quinton Meyer
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board announced crippling punishments on Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) Wednesday amid a government ban on Israeli athletes who hoped to compete in the World Gymnastics Championships now underway in Jakarta.
Most severe is the cancelation of formal dialogue between the IOC and the Indonesian NOC over a planned 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games bid by future capital Nusantara.
Nusantara was to join bids from Ahmadabad in India, Doha in Qatar and North Jeolla Province in South Korea among others in the 2036 Olympics race.
At a remote meeting, the Executive Board also decided to refuse discussions about any other potential Olympic events or meetings in Indonesia “until such time as the Indonesian government provides the IOC with adequate guarantees that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality, to attend.”
The EB will also urge all International sports federations not to host events in Indonesia until the government can guarantee access to athletes of all nationalities. Both the NOC of Indonesia and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) have been asked to attend a meeting at IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland to further discuss the events that transpired ahead of the Israeli athlete ban.
“All eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, autonomy and political neutrality that govern the Olympic Movement,” read a statement released by the IOC Wednesday.
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, refused to issue visas to Israeli gymnasts earlier this month due to Israel’s military offensive in Gaza. Israel’s team was due to include Artem Dolgopyat, a Paris 2024 silver medalist in the floor exercise and champion at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021) and the 2023 worlds.
This incident isn’t isolated, however, as Indonesia has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel.
Indonesia had the U20 FIFA World Cup stripped due to its opposition to the participation of Israel. Later that year the planned ANOC Beach Games in Bali were canceled allegedly due to financial concerns, but more likely over the required inclusion of Israeli athletes.
Last week the Israeli Gymnastics Federation said its gymnasts were “heartbroken” over not being able to attend.
After the IOC sanctions were announced Israel’s NOC president Yael Arad thanked the IOC for standing “firm against malicious attempts to disrupt global sports.”
According to the Times of Israel Arad added that Israeli athletes will “continue to appear on the major, significant stages and we will continue — as at the Paris Olympic Games — to bring to light the Israeli excellence of our wonderful athletes.”