Indonesian Kickboxing Controversy at the 2025 SEA Games
JAKARTA - The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI/NOC Indonesia) revealed the complete chronology behind the controversy of the kickboxing sport (cabor) at the 2025 Thailand SEA Games which has just ended.
The tension that dragged the athlete Andi Mesyara Jerni Maswara to the issue of intimidation from the Indonesian NOC management was claimed as an accumulation of violations of international regulations committed by officials.
The Chairman of the Indonesian NOC, Raja Sapta Oktohari, emphasized that the actions taken by his party on the ground were rescue efforts so that the Indonesian kickboxing team would not be disqualified as a whole by the Asian federation.
"Sports have their own management, there are rules. We are not home champions, we play at the world level. All the steps we take are in accordance with procedures and coordinated with the General Chairman of the PP KBI (Indonesian Kickboxing Central Management)," said Oktohari in a press conference in Jakarta.
This controversy did not happen suddenly in Thailand. Based on Indonesian NOC data, all problems began in September 2025 when the Asian Kickboxing Federation (WAKO Asia) imposed sanctions on the kickboxing team manager, Rosi Nurasjati, and an Indonesian coach from Kyrgyzstan.
Based on the official letter from WAKO Asia, the two were banned from participating in all kickboxing activities under the auspices of WAKO, including the 2025 SEA Games. This question makes their names not included in the official Indonesian contingent list.
Although not registered in the contingent, Rosi still attended in Thailand to accompany the athletes. Tensions peaked when he was caught entering the athlete's hotel (athlete village) and venue area without official accreditation.
"The presence of this person is considered a serious violation by WAKO Asia. In fact, the federation had threatened to disqualify all Indonesian athletes because they considered that we still brought people who were sanctioned," said Secretary General of the Indonesian NOC, Wijaya Noeradi.
The peak of this problem is when the female athlete Jerni Maswara uploaded a video on Instagram criticizing the referee's decision. Based on WAKO Social Media Policy, the act of uploading content that is considered to attack the integrity of the federation is a violation of the code of ethics.
The consequences of the upload made the committee members temporarily prohibit Jerni from going up to the podium for the medal-winning ceremony. He was finally able to get up after members of the Indonesian NOC Executive Committee, Krisna Bayu and Adi Wirawan, mediated.
"We are here to ensure that athletes can still get on the podium. There are requirements from international federations that the content be deleted because it violates their rules. We speak as parents and mentors so that the athletes' medal rights are not lost," said Krisna Bayu.
NOC Indonesia regrets the move of the athlete who immediately complained to social media instead of using the official channel.
According to the SEA Games Technical Handbook, objections to the results of a match should be submitted through an official protest form within 10 minutes after the match ends.
"If you don't protest in place, it means you are considered to have accepted it. Once it is uploaded to social media and becomes negative viral, it actually backfires for Indonesia's position in the eyes of international federations," said Okto.
PP KBI Chairman, Ngatino, stated that he had prepared a written report to the Minister of Youth and Sports regarding this incident. He hopes that the public and netizens can see this issue in its entirety based on the rules of international organizations.
"This is a costly lesson about literacy of international rules and the use of social media for athletes. We want to protect athletes, but athletes must also follow existing rules," said Ngatino.
Indonesian Kickboxing Problems in the 2025 SEA Games
September 2025: NOC Indonesia received a notification letter from WAKO Asia that Sister Rosi and an Indonesian coach of Kyrgyz nationality were sanctioned. 27 November 2025: In the DRM it was confirmed that Sister Rosi was not included in the Indonesian contingent. 4 December 2025: The kickboxing athletes along with two coaches came to the NOC Indonesia upon returning from overseas training. NOC Indonesia again explained that Sister Rosi could not be part of the Indonesian contingent because of the sanctions in question (or had not been lifted). 12 December 2025: It was known that WAKO Asia entered the hotel where the Indonesian kickboxing athletes stayed. There was a suspicion that WAKO Asia was that Sister Rosi was part of the contingent because Sister Rosi claimed to be a team manager. With the possibility of the threat of disqualification of all Indonesian kickboxing athletes, FKI agreed that Sister Rosi would return to Indonesia the next day, 13 December 2025. 13 December 2025: It was known that Sister Rosi was still visible in Bangkok. WAKO Asia and THASOC (Thailand SEA Games 2025 Organizing Committee) accompanied by police officers approached Sister Rosi. FKI promised that Sister Rosi would be repatriated immediately. 14 December 2025: After noon FKI asked for the assistance of the Secretary General of the Indonesian NOC to meet with the President of WAKO Asia at the venue because there was still a threat of disqualification of all Indonesian kickboxing athletes.