In a notable departure from decades of exclusion, Israel has been cleared to participate in the upcoming World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Israeli Gymnastics Federation confirmed this week that its delegation has been officially registered, and Indonesian officials have stated that Israeli athletes will be welcomed at the competition, which is slated to begin on October 19.
This development is particularly significant given Indonesia’s long-standing policy of blocking Israeli participation in international sporting events held within its borders. While individual Israeli athletes, such as track cyclist Mikhail Iakovlev in 2023, have occasionally competed in Indonesia, full Israeli delegations have routinely been denied entry.
The policy dates back to 1962, when Indonesia barred Israel and Taiwan from competing in the Asian Games in Jakarta. Although Israel continued to participate in the Asian Games when hosted elsewhere until 1974, increasing regional hostility eventually pushed it to shift its athletic affiliation to Europe.
More recently, Indonesia has doubled down on its refusal to host Israeli teams. In 2023, the country was stripped of its right to host the FIFA U-20 World Cup after Bali’s governor, Wayan Koster, demanded that Israel be excluded from the tournament. FIFA relocated the competition to Argentina. The same year, Indonesia also relinquished hosting rights to the World Beach Games after insisting that Israel would not be allowed to participate.
Against this backdrop, Israel’s inclusion in the 2025 gymnastics championships represents a potential turning point.
Israel present at largest World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in history
“We are in direct contact with the organizers and believe that extraneous considerations will not overshadow the sport,” said a spokesperson for the Israeli Gymnastics Federation.
The 53rd edition of the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships is set to be the largest in history, with 86 countries registered to compete, far above the usual 70, according to Ita Yuliati, chairperson of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation.
For Israel, this is not only an opportunity for athletic achievement but also a symbolic step toward wider international acceptance in regions that have long shut their doors.