IOC says sport must be 'safe space' amid Israel gymnast row

The International Olympic Committee says sport must remain a "safe space" after it found "no resolution" to allow Israel's athletes to take part in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

Indonesia said it would not grant visas to the Israel team for the event in Jakarta from 19-25 October because of the country's military offensive in Gaza.

The Israeli Gymnastics Federation (IGF) said the decision set a "dangerous precedent" and was critical of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

A request from the IGF for urgent provisional measures to guarantee Israeli participation, or to move or cancel the event, was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) earlier this week.

Any lingering hopes the impasse could be resolved before the event starts on Sunday now look to be over after the IOC issued a lengthy statement, external on Friday.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it had contacted FIG as well as the government of Indonesia and its Olympic authorities "to help facilitate a solution" but "unfortunately, no resolution has been found".

"The IOC very much regrets the situation, especially after the remarkable step towards a peace agreement at the peace summit in Egypt, as witnessed by the president of Indonesia," the statement said.

"The IOC executive board will discuss the specific situation of Indonesia – for all stakeholders involved – at its next meeting.

"Sport must remain a safe space for athletes to fulfil their dreams, and athletes must not be held responsible for political decisions."

Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel but the IGF says it had been given assurances its delegation would be welcome.

Among the athletes unable to compete are defending world floor champion Artem Dolgopyat.

The 28-year-old won Olympic floor gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and silver in Paris last year. He is also a two-time European champion.

The IOC reiterated its position that "eligible athletes, teams and sports officials" must be able to compete in competition "without any form of discrimination from the host country" in accordance with the Olympic charter.

It added that it was the "direct responsibility" of the hosting country to ensure this "principle is fully respected".

Indonesia has cited its long-standing political and diplomatic principles for the decision.

During the 1962 Asian Games, Indonesia similarly barred Israeli athletes - leading to its exclusion from the 1964 Tokyo Olympics by the IOC.

Although that ruling was overturned, Indonesia boycotted the Games.

In March 2023 Indonesia was stripped of its right to host football's Under-20 World Cup after the governor of Bali, where the draw was due to take place, refused to host the Israel team.

Six months later, Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage back to Gaza.

Since then more than 67,000 people have been killed by Israel's offensive, according to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry. Its figures are seen as reliable by the United Nations and other international bodies.

More than nine in 10 residential buildings have been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Last month the UN commission of inquiry formally declared Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza - though Israel rejected this.

On Monday, 20 living Israeli hostages and hundreds of Palestinian detainees were reunited with their families as part of a ceasefire deal.