News Of Israeli Athletes Participating In The 2025 Gymnastics Championship In Jakarta, Indonesian Foreign Minister: The Organizer Is FGI Yes

Rifda Irfanaluthfi, the first Indonesian gymnast to appear in the Olympics (Instagram-rifda_irfanalutfi).

JAKARTA - Foreign Minister (Menlu) Sugiono responded to the news regarding the participation of Israeli athletes in the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships which is scheduled to take place in Jakarta.

He said that the holding of the event was completely under the responsibility of the Indonesian Gymnastics Association (Persani) as the national committee.

"I monitor it but this is the one who organizes the Indonesian National Gamenastic Federation (FGI) -red. We'll see what the development looks like," said Sugiono at the State Palace, Jakarta, Wednesday, as reported by Antara.

Sugiono said the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Kemenlu) continues to monitor the development of the issue, but until now there has been no official request to the ministry to issue permits or recommendations regarding the arrival of foreign athletes, including from Israel.

He said the decision regarding the issuance of visas for participants in international sporting events was not under the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, but was in the hands of the immigration authorities.

Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not yet have a basis for taking further steps.

"That's what organizes Persani, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not have a permit request," said Sugiono.

"If, for example, receiving or not it will be determined whether they are granted a visa or not, and it is not by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ... this is is issuing the visa from Immigration," he added.

Previously, DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung Wibowo emphasized that he did not allow the presence of Israeli athletes at the 2025 Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta.

"About Israeli athletes, if you go to Jakarta as governor, of course, in conditions like this, I will definitely not allow it," Pramono said at the Jakarta City Hall, Wednesday, as reported by Antara.

Pramono also hopes that the government and organizations can think a thousand times about inviting athletes from Israel.

In fact, Pramono emphasized that the athlete's visa should not have been issued so that he could not visit Jakarta.

"Because there are no benefits in conditions like this, there are gymnastic athletes competing in Jakarta. It will definitely ignite, spark public anger in conditions like this," said Pramono.

Deputy Chairman of Commission I of the Indonesian House of Representatives Sukamta also urged the government to take a firm stance regarding the participation of Israeli athletes in the 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta this October.

He said the permission for Israeli athletes to compete in the country does not only have the potential to cause public polemics, but also injures the constitutional mandate that rejects all forms of colonialism.

"The government must show Indonesia's active free foreign policy stance, side with humanity and in accordance with the constitutional mandate. Do not let us concede again about Israel's participation in international sporting events," said Sukamta.