IOC Bans Indonesia from Hosting Global Sports Events After Visa Refusal for Israeli Gymnasts

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has barred Indonesia from hosting any future international sports events after the country refused entry to Israeli athletes competing in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.

Indonesia denied visas to Israel’s team, citing its opposition to the country’s military actions in Gaza and its long-standing policy of not recognising Israel until Palestine achieves independence. The move meant Israeli gymnasts, including Olympic champion Artem Dolgopyat, were unable to compete.

In response, the IOC said it would “end any form of dialogue” with Indonesia’s National Olympic Committee about hosting any future Olympic or Youth Olympic Games and would recommend that all international sports federations “not host any international sports events or meetings in Indonesia.”

The IOC said the restrictions would remain in place until Indonesia could give “adequate guarantees that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality.” The organisation also announced plans to update its qualification rules to ensure every athlete, no matter their nationality, has the right to compete in events that count toward Olympic qualification.

Indonesia, which had been eyeing a bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympics, now faces an almost certain end to those ambitions. The IOC has asked both the Indonesian Olympic Committee and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to attend a meeting at its Lausanne headquarters to discuss the fallout.

Indonesia’s sports and youth minister Erick Thohir acknowledged that the government’s decision would have repercussions but said it was taken to protect national interests.

“We adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order, and the public interest in hosting every international event,” he posted on X. “We understand that this decision carries consequences, wherein as long as Indonesia cannot accept the presence of Israel, the IOC has decided that Indonesia cannot host world championships, Olympic events, Youth Olympic Games, and other activities under the Olympic umbrella.” He added that Indonesia would continue to play an “active role” in global sports, saying the country’s athletes serve as “an ambassador and a reflection of the nation's strength in the eyes of the world.”

The Israel Gymnastics Federation said the visa ban set a “dangerous precedent” and criticised both the Indonesian organisers and the FIG for allowing the event to proceed. It had asked the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to either guarantee Israeli participation or move the event, but CAS rejected the appeal earlier this month. Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, has no diplomatic ties with Israel and has been outspoken in its criticism of the Gaza conflict, even after the most recent ceasefire.

The IOC, in its statement, reminded all Olympic movement members of “the importance of free and unfettered access to the respective country for all participants to attend international competitions without restrictions.” For now, Indonesia’s ban marks a rare and serious rebuke from the Olympic body — and a major setback for a nation that had hoped to elevate its standing on the global sporting stage.