The race to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games is in full swing. South Korea has designated North Jeolla province as its bid location, India is preparing its bid for Ahmedabad, Qatar confirmed its candidacy this summer, and other contenders like Germany, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia could join the fray. One candidate has undoubtedly suffered a major setback in recent days: Indonesia, which incurred the wrath of the IOC by politicizing the arrival of Israeli gymnasts in Jakarta. This affair risks having serious repercussions and pushing the country's Olympic dreams to a much later date.
Non-discrimination and political neutrality
The Israeli delegation, which was scheduled to participate in the World Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta from October 19 to 25, was unable to attend the event. Authorities turned them away, refusing their visa applications. This is unacceptable to the IOC. All athletes, teams, and sports officials meeting the eligibility criteria must be able to participate in international sporting competitions and events without suffering any form of 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. "He reiterated this in a statement. Unite, not divide.
Indonesia is among Palestine's most staunch supporters. As such, it does not recognize Israel and does not maintain diplomatic relations with the Jewish state. This comes amid a tense climate, as UN investigators admitted in September that Israel was committing atrocities. a genocide in GazaThe reason for the refusal of Israeli visas is not really in doubt. The IOC, which was already concerned about the " political tensions "In September, a working group on the protection of the fundamental principles of Olympism was recently created, tasked with ensuring that the IOC, the Olympic Games and sport" remain politically neutral and can fulfill their mission, namely to unite the world through peaceful competition A firm reaction was therefore expected, and it came.
A meeting to calm things down on Tuesday
In a statement published on October 22, the executive committee of the body announced the following: to end all forms of dialogue with the Indonesian NOC "Regarding the organization of any event, including the Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic Games," until the Indonesian government provides the IOC with sufficient guarantees ensuring that all participants, regardless of their nationality, will be able to travel to the country She went further and called on international federations to marginalize the archipelago by issuing the recommendation not to organize international meetings or sporting events in Indonesia ».
Other voices within the Olympic Movement, including the president of the European Olympic Committees, Spyros Capraloshad called for a strong response to this affair. The Greek also pointed out that Indonesia had already failed to meet its obligations by abandoning the organization of the 2023 World Beach Games, just weeks before the deadline. Indonesia is showing once again that it does not respect the spirit or the responsibilities of a global sporting host.he snapped. If we allow discrimination and political interference to continue unchecked, we risk eroding the very foundations of international sport. »
The president of the Indonesian National Olympic Committee (KOI), Raja Sapta Oktohari, participated in a meeting with the IOC on Tuesday. A first step towards de-escalation. The discussions resulted in " positive results "According to the KOI press release." The Indonesian government's position reflects that of the Indonesian nation. We support and respect the Olympic Charter, but we will always defend world peace. (…) We have succeeded in improving communication with the IOC. The IOC understands Indonesia's position, and we also understand its responsibility to uphold the principle of non-discrimination. Now, the focus is no longer on yesterday's problems, but on how we can move forward to build solutions together. »
Indonesia is not definitively out of the running for the 2036 Olympics, especially since Kirsty Coventry has put the allocation process is on pauseHowever, this lapse in conduct could prove costly given the competition: the IOC will likely have a wealth of strong candidates to choose from. Candidates who will have stayed within the rules and who won't be burdened by any past issues.
