Israel gymnastics group appeals Indonesia's bar to its athletes

JAKARTA - The Israel Gymnastics Federation said it was appealing Indonesia's decision to block the country's gymnasts from competing in a world championship, calling the move by the world's largest Muslim-majority country "outrageous".

The south-east Asian nation said on Oct 10 it had denied visas to Israeli gymnasts amid an outcry over Israel's military offensive in Gaza, costing Israeli athletes a spot in this month's World Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Jakarta.

In an emailed statement late on Oct 11, the Israeli federation called Indonesia's decision "both outrageous and deeply troubling for the integrity of international sport".

It said it had submitted an urgent appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking an injunction to allow Israeli athletes, including Olympic gold medallist Artem Dolgopyat, to participate in the competition.

"We intend to challenge this decision with every means available," the group said.

Indonesia, which has no formal diplomatic ties with Israel, cited objections from groups such as a council of Islamic clerics and the local government in the capital Jakarta, where the championship will be held from Oct 19, for its decision to bar the athletes.

The two-year-old war has drawn strong criticism in Indonesia.

A US-brokered ceasefire in the conflict appeared to be holding on Oct 11, and President Donald Trump was expected to attend a summit in Egypt on Oct 13 aimed at finalising permanent peace terms.

The war began on Oct 7, 2023, when militants led by the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked southern Israel, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and capturing 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Israel's subsequent offensive has killed more than 67,000 people, mostly civilians, according to Gaza authorities. REUTERS