Global Courant 2023-04-17 13:38:02
BALI – An international beach sports event may be the latest casualty of Bali’s harsh anti-Israel stance, after the island’s governor made it clear this weekend that he would not welcome Israeli teams to participate.
On Saturday, Bali Governor Wayan Koster issued a statement saying that teams representing Israel at the ANOC World Beach Games due to take place in August will not be allowed to participate in the second installment of the 14-event athletics competition.
In March, FIFA stripped Indonesia the right to host the World Under-20 World Cup that was due to take place in May.
The Association of National Olympic Committees, which awarded the games to Indonesia in 2022, was expected to respond to the governor’s statement as early as today, Ms. Brighita Sesilya, spokesperson for the Indonesian Olympic Committee, told The Straits Times.
“President NOC Indonesia Raja Sapta Oktohari will make an official statement after we receive the letter from ANOC,” Ms. Brighita said.
On Friday, Mr. Raja met with Mr. Koster and the minister of sports Dito Ariotedjo to iron out differences and ensure that the World Beach Games, in which 1,600 athletes from 130 countries participate, continue.
The triumvirate stated in a statement on Friday that Mr. Koster was behind the games. The following day, the governor, who will be re-elected in 2024, said his support was conditional on the absence of any contingent from Israel.
“My stance remains consistent in rejecting Team Israel’s presence at World Beach Games in Bali in 2023,” the governor said in a written statement Saturday.
Mr Koster said his view was in line with Indonesia’s long standing opposition to what it sees as Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians.
Under the agreement, the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali “will run smoothly and successfully as long as they are held without the presence of the Israeli team,” the statement said.
Repeated attempts by ST to reach Mr. Dito Ariotedjo, the Indonesian Sports Minister, and Mr. Raja of the Indonesian Olympic Committee for comment were unsuccessful.
The ANOC World Beach Games 2023 is the second edition of the event after the first edition in Qatar in 2019.
The event is a rare opportunity for Indonesian athletes to compete with international athletes of Olympic caliber. The President of Indonesia Mr. Joko Widodo has publicly stated that he intends to have his country compete for the 2036 Summer Olympics.
Organizing sporting events is also an economic hit, according to a report published in April by the University of Indonesia (UI).
Ticket sales, hotel stays and money to spruce up stadiums and infrastructure at the six venues in Indonesia preparing to host the FIFA youth tournament in May translated into a combined 4.4 trillion rupiah ($390 million) for those economies, including those of Jakarta as well as those of Bali.
Sporting events that last days to weeks and attract potentially tens of millions of viewers are good for local authorities.
