Jakarta, MINA – The Aqsa Working Group (AWG) has affirmed its rejection of the planned participation of Israeli athletes in the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, scheduled to take place at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta from October 19–25, 2025.
M. Anshorullah, Chairman of the AWG Presidium, stated to MINA on Thursday that any form of participation by an Israeli delegation in Indonesia contradicts the values of humanity, national history, and the mandate of the constitution. The Preamble of the 1945 Constitution explicitly states that colonialism in the world must be abolished.
“Sports must not be used as a tool to politically legitimize Zionist Israel, which continues to perpetrate colonization and violence against the Palestinian people to this day,” Anshorullah firmly asserted.
He further urged relevant parties, including the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the Minister of Youth and Sports, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Law and Human Rights, the Chairman of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), and the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation, as the organizer, to issue an official stance.
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“The government needs to state firmly, clearly, and without ambiguity that Indonesia rejects the participation of the Zionist Israeli contingent in any sporting event on home soil,” Anshorullah said.
He also called upon all elements of Indonesian society to continue speaking out and rejecting all forms of normalization with the Zionist regime.
The news of Israeli athletes arriving in Jakarta surfaced after the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) Media reported that the Israeli Gymnastics Federation had registered its athletes for the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta, despite Israel having no diplomatic relations with Indonesia.
The plan for the Israeli athletes’ arrival has sparked strong reactions from various groups, especially humanitarian and pro-Palestinian organizations, which argue that the move could tarnish Indonesia’s diplomatic position that has consistently supported Palestinian independence.[]
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