The Indonesian Bridge Team Was Criticized For Fighting Israel And Losing

The opening of the Ganefo sporting event, which is a rival to the Olympics, at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in 1963. (Wikimedia Commons)

JAKARTA - In dealing with Israeli athletes, the Indonesian government often has one voice. The owner of the power appealed to all Indonesian athletes to refuse to compete with Israel. The New Order Era (Orba), let alone. New Order openly prohibits athletes from playing with Israel.

Those who did not heed the ban will be given a serious warning. That is what was then experienced by the Indonesian bridge team who ventured against Israel in Sao Paulo, Brazil. As a result, the whole of the archipelago criticized. Has broken the rules, lost too.

Soekarno and the Old Order never wanted Indonesian athletes to face Israel. Instead of dealing with each other, Israel's opportunity to compete in sports celebrations in Indonesia has become a dream in broad daylight.

Soekarno echoed the narrative because Israel spread tyranny of colonialism and imperialism on Palestinian soil. Soekarno took a stand. Indonesia expresses its alignment with the colonized nation, Palestine.

Bung Karno's attitude was taken referring to his personal attitude and the message contained in the Preamble to the 1945 Constitution (UUD). The first and fourth paragraphs. Points such as independence are the right of all the nation's children. Then, Indonesia's position in carrying out world order cannot be disturbed.

Bung Karno showed this attitude by prohibiting all Indonesian athletes from competing against Israel. Because, competing is tantamount to recognizing Israel as a country. Bung Karno's attitude is getting worse.

Israel was not involved in the 1962 Asian Games sport. Soekarno was not afraid of being sanctioned by the world. Instead, he challenged the world when he refused Israel's participation in the 1962 Asian Games. He then created a rival Olympics. Games of the New Emerging Forces (Ganefo), his name.

"They hope that we will become weak and ask for permission to re-enter. What kind of nation do we think? We are not a tempe nation. I ordered the Minister of Maladi to leave the World Olympic Committee, the IOC. Immediately form Ganefo. Namely, a combination of Asian countries, Africa, Latin America, and socialist countries.."

Ganefo yang akan kita selenggarakan nanti adalah olahraga dari keluarga sendiri dari satu kediri. Saya perintah segera membuat Ganefo. Ini bukan sekadar perintah Presiden, tapi perintah seluruh rakyat Indonesia," tegas Soekarno dalam pidatonya di Konferensi Besar Front Nasional pada 13 Februari 1963, sebagaimana dikutip Muhidin M. Dahlan dalam buku Ganefo: Olimpiade Kiri di Indonesia(2019).

Bung Karno's firm stance was actually inherited by his successor, Suharto. The New Order leader also launched a ban on Indonesian athletes against Israel. The provisions of the New Order were also strengthened by the birth of the Circular Letter of the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) on December 5, 1983. The appeal was also strengthened by a circular letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs a few months later.

It contained none other than emphasizing the prohibition on Indonesian athletes against the modern Israeli colonial regime. Anyone who violates will be dealt with firmly in the form of a stern warning. The general assembly is actually divided into two assessing the rule. There are those who support it, some who disagree.

However, not for the case of the Bridge Indonesia team that was caught against Israel at the 1985 Bridge World Championships in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Archipelago actually agreed to strongly condemn the team's courage in a card-playing sport, Bridge.

All because the team led by Amran Zamzani was conquered by Israel. Already broken the rules, lost too. As a result, all Indonesian people feel humiliated by Israel. Moreover, the defeat was recorded by the world. Even if it may be a different story when they win.

All Indonesian people then asked the Indonesian government to give serious sanctions. The narrative was made many times. Mainly by Muslims represented by one of the largest Islamic mass organizations, Muhammadiyah. The mass organization considers that violations of the rules cannot continue because it will affect other sports.

The Indonesian government also takes a stand. The Indonesian bridge team is subject to serious warning sanctions. If the same thing is repeated, then they will get severe punishment. This is because the Indonesian government is still in a position to oppose all forms of relations related to Israel.

"On behalf of the Muhammadiyah people and also if possible Islam, we continue to protest against violations by the bridge team. Not solely because of religious factors. But more because, we see openly and broadcast widely, there are residents or groups who violate the government's foreign policy.

"We just want to remind the government about the violation. To prevent it, so that it doesn't become a precedent later. Why do we have foreign policy, if it can be easily violated by its citizens?" explained the Secretary General of Muhammadiyah, Lukman Harun as quoted by Tempo Magazine in a report entitled After Losing Against Israel (1985).