Indonesia denies Team Israel travel visas, prompting criticism by International Olympic Committee

Indonesia's latest move to bar Team Israel from competing in its upcoming gymnastics championships has sparked outrage from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), with the organization's president saying that all athletes must be allowed to participate without discrimination.

The Indonesian government denied visas to Team Israel citing their country's stance on the ongoing war in Gaza. The decision was made despite a recent ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump last week, which has seen Hamas release 20 Palestinian hostages and Israel release nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.

The IOC condemned Indonesia's actions as a blatant disregard for its rules, stating that all eligible athletes must be able to participate in international competitions without any form of discrimination. The organization announced it will discuss the situation with Indonesia at its next meeting.

The move is the latest example of restrictions placed on Israel's sports teams and fans in recent months, following a similar incident when the Indonesian government was stripped of hosting the Under-20 World Cup over its refusal to host Team Israel.

Team Israel's governing body released a statement expressing their outrage over the decision, saying that it undermines the principles of fair competition and sports. The team is set to compete in Jakarta on Sunday.

The move has been met with criticism from fans and athletes alike, who argue that sports should be a safe space for all competitors regardless of politics.

Ugh this Indonesia thing is getting crazy . I don't get why they can't just let the gymnasts compete... it's not like their country's stance on Gaza is gonna affect the actual competition . And now the IOC is all over them about it, which is great, but still kinda sad that Indonesia did this in the first place . I mean, can't we just focus on sports and stuff? It feels like there's always some drama surrounding Team Israel and I don't get why . And what's with all these restrictions on Israel's teams lately? It's just not cool . I hope the gymnasts from Team Israel make it to Jakarta on Sunday and get to do their thing without any more drama

idk why indonesia gotta make such a huge deal outta this . its like they're trying 2 control everything & dictate what teams can participate in the olympics? newsflash: sports r about competition, not politics! can't we just enjoy the games w/o all the drama? team israel's got skills too u know

this is absolute madness , what's next Indonesia gonna ban every other country just cuz they have differences? it's all about geopolitics and nobody wants to admit it , IOC needs to do more than just slap a wrist here, get involved in the politics of it all , and btw israel got their prisoners released, so what's the hold up on letting them compete , Indonesia's move is like, super weak, they're basically saying we won't play with you unless you agree with us

This whole thing just seems super unfair. I mean, Indonesia had the chance to make amends by hosting the Olympics after their previous debacle but instead they go and snub Team Israel again . The fact that it's because of a recent ceasefire agreement doesn't even change the point - sports is supposed to be about competition not politics . I don't get why the IOC can't just keep quiet about this one, they're all about fair play and yet they're choosing to stir up drama .

idk how can indonesia do this kinda thing, i mean i get they got issues with israel & gaza but banning them from gymnastics champs? thats just ridiculous . it's like, sports are supposed to be about competition not politics . and what's next gonna happen if israel boycotts indonesia's sports teams? its all about fairness & respect for each other, not making up rules as u go along . and btw, dont even get me started on the whole ceasefire thing, didnt we just have that last week?

I'm so down with Indonesia's decision . Like, can't we just keep the politics out of sports? It's not like Israel is even competing in Gaza or anything. I mean, I get where Team Israel is coming from, but come on, a little understanding wouldn't kill anyone. And what about the Palestinians who were released last week? That's some sweet revenge if you ask me . The IOC should just chill and let Indonesia do its thing. It's not like they're hurting anyone by keeping Team Israel out.

I'm so frustrated about this Indonesia's move is just another example of how politics can mess up the Olympics. I mean, it's not like Israel is even occupying Gaza anymore (thankfully). The IOC is right to speak out against this - sports should be about competing fairly and respectfully, not about making a point on some bigger issue. It's kinda disappointing that Indonesia felt the need to use its power to try and dictate what Team Israel can and can't do. Can't we just let athletes compete without all this drama?

This whole situation just got really frustrating. I mean, come on Indonesia, how can you say one thing but do another? The ceasefire agreement was only last week and now BAM! You're denying visas to Team Israel because of some political stuff that's been going on for years. It just doesn't add up.

And what about all the other countries that have had similar issues with Israel? Why is it always Israel's fault? I think this whole thing is a bit unfair. Sports are supposed to be about competition and fun, not politics. If you can't separate your personal opinions from the sport itself then maybe you shouldn't be involved at all.

The IOC needs to step in here and make sure everyone follows the same rules. It's not like it's a difficult thing to do – just let every athlete compete without any discrimination. The fact that Indonesia is doing this says more about their own politics than anything else, imo.

Ugh I'm so annoyed by this Indonesia is being super hypocrite here the US brokered a ceasefire and now they're just gonna punish Israel? Like what's good about that? And it's not like Israel doesn't have its own issues with Palestinians... both sides have valid points. Can't we just focus on sports for once? The IOC is right though, no one should be discriminated against based on politics or religion. It's like, hello human rights and all that jazz Indonesia needs to chill out and let the athletes compete in peace

idk about this one ... so indonesia bars team israel from competion but theres still hamas holding palestinians captive & israel releasing 2000 prisoners & they still deny visas? seems like selective indignation to me... whats the real motive here? also, why should team israel even care about indonesian politics? its not their country

I'm so down with the IOC's stance here! It's like, sports are supposed to be about coming together as one big happy family, not about dividing us by politics and nationalism . Indonesia's move is just ridiculous - what's next? Banning teams from competing if their players wear certain jerseys or have Israeli flags on their gear? It's all about promoting unity and fair play, not trying to score points with your enemies .

And can we talk about the fact that Israel releases 2k Palestinians prisoners in a ceasefire agreement, but Indonesia is still whining about Gaza? That's some serious hypocrisy right there! The IOC should definitely be keeping an eye on this one and making sure it doesn't become a precedent for other countries to discriminate against athletes. Fair play for Team Israel - they deserve to compete just like everyone else

Indonesia's decision to bar Team Israel from competing is so weird... like, isn't sport just about having fun and being the best? shouldn't it matter where we're from or what's happening in some other country? I mean, they already made a ceasefire agreement last week, so why are they still holding it against them? And now the IOC is all like "no discrimination"... like, isn't that just common sense? This whole thing is super frustrating and I don't get why sports can't be more inclusive .

omg this is crazy indonesia's decision is super discriminatory and it's not okay! i mean i get their concern about the war in gaza but come on, isn't sports supposed to bring ppl together? team israel has been making waves with their awesome gymnastics skills and now they're being told they can't compete? that's just not fair

i feel for the athletes who have to deal with this kind of politics in their sport. shouldn't it be about self-expression, hard work, and having fun?! sports is supposed to bring us joy and inspiration, not create more divisions i hope the IOC steps in and puts a stop to this kinda thing

man I just can't believe what's going on here Indonesia is like totally overstepping its bounds by refusing to let Team Israel compete in their gymnastics championships... I mean I get it they have concerns about the war in Gaza, but come on, sports should be about unity and fair play not politics . And now the IOC is all up in arms about it, saying that athletes shouldn't be discriminated against just because of their country's stance on a conflict . It's like, can't we just focus on being good at sports for once? I feel so bad for Team Israel and their fans who are going through this drama... it's all just really frustrating