But he offered the assembly something no other Indonesian leader had done before: a promise to formally recognize Israel, albeit on the condition that Palestine be granted statehood.
Prabowo’s first year in office was also marked by attempts to raise Indonesia’s status on the world stage by attending global summits, signing trade deals, and meeting frequently with other world leaders, in contrast to former president Joko Widodo, who showed comparatively little interest in foreign affairs.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and US President Donald Trump at the Gaza Summit in Egypt.Credit: fake images
But the suffering in Gaza has been felt closely in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, and gymnastics does not provoke the same fervor as soccer.
It remains to be seen whether Indonesians will be upset by the IOC’s stance on future sporting events and the 2036 Olympics.
Indonesian Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir doubled down on Thursday, saying he was “not worried” about the IOC’s reprimand and that the government had “strong reasons” for blocking the Israeli team.
“We understand that [our] “The decision has consequences,” he said.
Artem Dolgopyat of Team Israel competes on a pommel horse at the FIG World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Belgium in 2023.Credit: fake images
The IOC said it could change its position if Indonesia gave “adequate assurances that it will allow all participants, regardless of nationality, access to the country to attend” the events.
This week, the International Ski and Snowboard Federation moved to ban athletes from Russia and Belarus from competing even as neutral athletes in the qualifiers for next year’s Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics.
Charging
The IOC banned Russians from competing under their own flag at the 2024 Paris Olympics due to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. But the ISSF’s refusal to let athletes compete as neutrals appears to contradict the IOC’s directive to Indonesia to allow all athletes “regardless of nationality” to compete in tournaments.
The IOC has been contacted for comment.
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