IOC Sanctions Indonesia Overโฃ Exclusion of Israeli athletes, Sparking Calls for Revival of Ganefo Games
Geneva, Switzerland โ – The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has taken punitive action against Indonesia, stripping the nation โof its โขhosting rights for the 2025 World Gymnastics championships and future Olympic qualification events. The decision stems from Indonesia’s refusalโ to grantโ visas to Israeli athletes participating in the championships, a โmove the IOC deems a violation โขof its non-discrimination principles. Further sanctions include the suspension of all โIOC-funded programs in Indonesia and a โhalt toโข future bidsโ for hosting Olympic-related events.
Theโข IOC’s response โคunderscores the organization’s commitment to separating sports from political disputes, โa โtenet now fiercely debated as globalโ tensions rise. The โคsanctions directly impact Indonesia’s sporting ambitions and raise questions about its ability to participate fully on โthe international stage. the move hasโ ignited aโข firestorm of criticism online, wiht many โIndonesiansโข expressing outrageโฃ and calling for a return to the Games of Newโข Emerging Forces (Ganefo), a Cold War-era alternative to the โคOlympics championed by Indonesia’s first president, Sukarno.
The controversyโ began when Indonesia, a predominantly muslim nationโค without diplomatic ties with Israel, initially โฃbarred Israeli athletes from โcompeting inโข the World Gymnastics Championshipsโค scheduled for โSeptember โ2025. Despiteโข pressure from the IOC and the international โขgymnastics Federation, Indonesian officials maintained their stance, citing securityโ concerns โand adherence to domestic laws.โ The โIOC โExecutive Board subsequently convened and โunanimously decided โon the sanctions during โa meeting thisโข week.
“The IOC Executive Boardโ hasโ decided to remove the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships from Indonesia,” an IOC statement read. “This decision is based onโฃ the Indonesianโข National โOlympic Committee’s inability โto guarantee the participation โคof all eligible athletes, nonetheless of their nationality.”
The backlash onโฃ social media has been swiftโ and โฃintense. One user posted on โขX โค(formerly Twitter), “you are aโฃ disgrace to the world. Russia is ostracized because they kill โcivilians, โคbut Israel โฃkills whoever they wont. It’s clear whoโ supports you.We, free people, โwill do anything to make the world forget about the Olympics, so that you don’t โฃhave a penny. Shame.” Another user echoed this sentiment, stating, “Shame on โขyou, IOC. You didn’tโค mind โขbanning Russia and Belarusโฃ from the Olympics.But now, when Israel is doing it, โsuddenly you want to โฃ’separate โathletesโข from their country’? If they chooseโข to representโค a genocidal country, they should โbe treated accordingly.”
Amidst the condemnation, a โgrowing number of Indonesians are advocating for a revivalโ of Ganefo. Created in 1963 under โPresident Sukarno, โGanefo โคwas โคconceived as an international sportingโค event forโ developingโ nations, offering an alternative โคto theโข Olympics โduring the height of โthe Cold War. โฃThe first edition was held in Jakarta, followedโค by a second in Phnom Penh in 1966. Proponents argue that Ganefo represents a spirit of independence andโค solidarity, offering a platform for โคnations to โฃcompete without being โsubjected โto โฃperceived political pressures fromโค the IOC.
“We don’t careโค because we โhave Ganefo,” one social media user โฃdeclared, reflecting a sentiment gaining traction among โthose disillusioned with the IOC’s decision. Theโ potential resurgenceโค ofโ Ganefo could signal a shift in Indonesia’s approach to โคinternational sports, potentially forging new alliancesโฃ and challenging the established order. The โIOC has not yet commentedโค on theโ calls forโ a Ganefo revival.
