Bali Governor Ensures Israel Will Not Participate In World Beach Games

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster when giving a statement to reporters in Badung, Bali, Thursday (4/5/2023). BETWEEN - Putu Indah Savitri

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster confirmed that Israel would not participate in the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games (AWBG) in Bali, as agreed with the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotedjo.

"There has been an agreement that when I received the visit of the Minister of Youth and Sports together with the Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee, Mr. Raja, had agreed that the World Beach Game in Bali could be held without participants from Israel," said Koster as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, May 4.

Wayan Koster also said that the AWBG participating country list did not list the Israeli state in it.

"The country's list already exists, there is no Israel," said Koster.

When Israel mentioned that it wanted to register through the International Committee without carrying the name Israel, Koster said that there had been no discussion regarding this matter. He reiterated that there would be no Israel.

"If that's the case, it hasn't been discussed yet. What is clear is that there is no Israel," he said.

As previously reported, Dito Ariotedjo ensured that there would be no more polemics related to Israel's participation in the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games (AWBG) in Bali.

"No, yesterday I met the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster with NOC or the Chairman of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Raja Sapta Oktohari. Done, yes, enthusiasm is 1,000 percent, there is no polemic," said Dito at the Ainul Hikmah Kemanggisan Mosque, Jakarta, Saturday (22/4).

NOC is a non-governmental organization affiliated with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and represents its country in a sporting event.

The Bali AWBG will be held on August 5' August 12, 2023, then continued with the ANOC General Assembly on August 13, 2023.

AWBG is the largest multi-branch event based on the number of participating countries that have been held in Indonesia and can be a stepping stone to the host of the 2036 Olympics.