FIG president addresses Indonesia’s denial of visas to Israeli gymnasts

The controversy grew when the president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) spoke on this issue after the Indonesian government did not grant a visa to the Israeli national gymnastics team.

FIG President Morinari Watanabe addressed the situation at a press conference early Saturday morning and said he agreed with the latest concerns about the situation expressed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in a statement on Friday ahead of the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, which starts on Sunday.

“I accept [with] “The IOC’s statement,” Watanabe said. “Sports are separate from politics. All athletes have equal rights to participate in sporting events. The IOC and FIG must protect this right. This is for the Olympic contract we wrote.”

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Watanabe added that the FIG “deeply regrets” the lack of protection for Israeli gymnasts but respects the Indonesian government’s decision.

“As FIG, we deeply regret that we could not protect the rights of a country’s athletes this time. However, on the other hand, with the change in the global situation, how to protect the participating athletes becomes a challenge,” he said.

“We heard from the Indonesian government that this is a measure to ensure the safety of the participating athletes, which includes the athletes of a country and also the people of the city of Jakarta, so the reason is not political, this is what we heard[ing]”

FIG Secretary General Nicolas Buompane added that the groups that could pose a threat if the Israeli team were present were also brought to the attention of the organization.

“It is true that there are some groups in Indonesia who are not happy with the arrival of the Israeli delegation and then make threats. Therefore, this is an issue that is taken into serious consideration,” Buompane said.

“What about the safety of all participants? That’s also something that we’ve committed to in our charter to ensure the safety of all participants. So it’s a difficult thing. And when we look at the last weeks, we see a lot of incidents happening.”

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Team Israel will compete in the rhythmic gymnastics group overall final during the Paris Games at the Porte de La Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Buompane also touched on other incidents of violence at international sporting events involving the Israeli national team in recent months. These examples included pro-Palestinian protests at the Tour de Spain, which caused the event to be temporarily halted due to protests against Israeli cyclists, and football matches played by Israeli teams.

“The last days were difficult, but we did everything we could, especially the president, we tried non-stop, no matter what, to find solutions, and then at a certain point, you run into a situation where there is nothing you can do,” Buompane said. he said.

Watanabe and Buompane were asked whether they considered the Indonesian government’s decision to be a violation of the FIG charter, which protects the equal treatment and participation of each country’s athletes, and whether this could lead to consequences for the Indonesian gymnastics federation.

Buompane stated that they did not consider this a violation and claimed that other laws that prioritize security should also be taken into account.

“So it’s a violation in a way, but we also have a defense on that. Because you can’t just pull out the one article that everyone is pointing to right now, because there are other articles that will help us defend ourselves,” he said.

The IOC’s statement on Friday directly condemned the Indonesian government’s decision.

“The IOC’s principle position is very clear: All eligible athletes, teams and sports officials should be able to participate in international sports competitions and events without any discrimination from 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,” the IOC statement said. The statement was included.

Israeli gymnasts celebrate after the rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Porte de la Chapelle Arena in Paris on August 10, 2024. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP)

“Therefore, it is the direct responsibility of the host country, the organizer and the sports organizations directly involved to ensure that this principle is fully complied with and that all necessary assurances are provided in advance by the relevant authorities of the host country.”

The IOC also claimed that its officials would discuss the situation with Indonesia at the next meeting.

“Sports should remain a safe space where athletes can realize their dreams, and athletes should not be held responsible for political decisions,” the statement said. statements were included.

On Tuesday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) rejected Israel’s request for intervention.

The Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) issued a statement regarding the sanction.

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“The rules are clear and Indonesia’s actions constitute a blatant breach of those rules. It is unthinkable that one country would ban another from participating in the World Championships while the governing bodies are on standby,” a statement via the BBC said.

“This decision undermines the foundations of sport and fair competition and deals a serious blow to the morale of the gymnasts and staff who have worked tirelessly for this moment.”

Indonesia was stripped of its right to host the Under-20 World Cup after the governor of Bali refused to host the Israeli team in a match.

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