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The Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) confirmed that its national security team authorized its athletes to enter Indonesia for the World Gymnastics Championships last month, despite the Indonesian government blocking the athletes from entering the country, citing security concerns.
An IGF spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital that the country’s security team gave clearance to its athletes.
“We received authorization from the Israeli Security Authorities to participate in the World Championship subject to the necessary security protocols in place. From our side all preparations were complete – Registration process, Entry Visas to Indonesia and Israeli Security Authorities confirmation,” the IGF said.
Israel men’s gymnast Eyal Indig previously told Fox News Digital that his country’s security team gave him and his teammates’ authorization to enter the city, citing decades-long security measures that the country’s sports teams have used since the 1972 Munich Olympics, when eight terrorists associated with the group Black September snuck into the Olympic Village in a failed mission to take Israeli athletes hostage.
“For us, it was very strange,” Indig said. “That same security did a scan one week before our flight, in Indonesia, they were in Indonesia, and they authorized everything in terms of security. So we had full authorization from Israel security’s team, and you can believe me that they wouldn’t authorize anything that wasn’t safe. And our federation kept telling us it was safe.”
Indig later called Indonesia’s decision, “a blatant incident of discrimination on the basis of nationality.”
The Indonesian embassy in the U.S. responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, saying, “The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia has no further comment to share on this matter.”
Indonesian Minister of Sport Erick Thohir previously defended his country’s decision in a statement in the final week of October.
“We adhere to the principle of maintaining security, public order and the public interest in hosting every international event,” Thohir said.
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Indonesia is the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation and has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians. The scheduled participation of Israeli athletes had sparked intense opposition within the country.
Indonesia was previously stripped of its right to host football’s under-20 World Cup when the governor of Bali refused to host Team Israel in a game.
The IGF further condemned Indonesia’s denial in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
“We consider the decision to bar the entry of the Israeli National Gymnastics Team from participating in the World Championships in Indonesia to be both outrageous and deeply troubling for the integrity of international sport,” the statement read. “This decision stands in complete contradiction to the core principles of sport and fair competition and represents a dangerous slippery slope toward the exclusion of athletes based on political, religious, or social considerations.
“Behind these words stand athletes who have dedicated their lives to excellence. They worked tirelessly and deserve an equal chance to showcase their abilities like all other gymnasts.
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“The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) has chosen to stand by and allow the exclusion of the Israeli delegation, thereby effectively granting the Indonesian government the approval it sought. But we will not stay silent. The Israel Gymnastics Federation and Israel Olympic Committee appealed to the CAS, and we hope for a clear and definite ruling which will prevent this from ever happening again.”
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is recommending that no international sporting events be held in Indonesia after the country barred the Israeli national gymnastics team from the world championships in Jakarta. Additionally, the IOC is ending any discussions with Indonesia about hosting the Olympics in the future.
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