Israel Does'nt Participate in Asian Games 2018, Palestine Participate

Chief Editor of Mi’raj News Agency (MINA). Photo: Rana/MINA

Jakarta, MINA – Jakarta, MINA – Jakarta, MINA – Israeli athletes are certainly not participating in the biggest Asian sporting event Asian Games 2018 which will take place from 18 August to 2 September 2018 in Jakarta and Palembang.

This is confirmed by the Chairman of the Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee ((INASGOC), Erick Thohir, who stated that Israel is not on the list of 45 countries participating in the Asian Games 2018. But Palestine is included in the list of participants of the sporting event every four years in the Asian continent.

“The number of participants 45 countries, Israel did not participate. There are participating countries of the former Soviet Union,” Erick said in ” Public Expose, Progress Report of the 2018 Asian Games” in Jakarta, Monday (11/12).

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In addition to sports stakeholders, whether they are from the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI), the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) or representatives of sports organizations, the public expose was also attended by media editorial chiefs, including Ismet Rauf of MINA News Agency, who was one of the partners in making the event successful to be participated by 45 national Olympic committees (NOC) .

The 2018 Asian Games will feature 40 sports and stage 462 matches.

Palestine began participating in the Asian Games in Beijing in 1990 and never missed the Asian Games. Of the seven times participation, the Palestinians managed to collect one bronze. The only medal grabbed by Palestine was at the 2002 Busan Asian Games by Munir Abu-Keshek in boxing.

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As the host country of the upcoming 18th Asian Games, Indonesia is one of seven countries that have participated consistently in the Asian Games since it was first held in 1951 in New Delhi. The seven countries are India, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, and Thailand.

Asian Games 2018 is the second Asian Games held in Indonesia, after the 4th Asian Games in 1962 in Jakarta.

Meanwhile, MINA News Agency Chief Editor Ismet Rauf gave his appreciation and support to the organizing committee of the Asian Games for not inviting Israel to the biggest sporting event in the Asian continent.

According to him, any relationship with Israel, is a violation of the constitution, because Indonesia is against colonialism.

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“Since the time of President Soekarno, Indonesia has firmly refused to recognize Israel’s existence as a country. Bung Karno, the nickname of President Soekarno, even loudly opposed the participation of Israel and Taiwan at the Asian Games. It was shown by Bung Karno by not inviting Israel and Taiwan at the 1962 Asian Games which took place in Jakarta,” he said.

Due to Bung Karno’s stern stance, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) then suspended Indonesia’s membership in the organization. No less fierce, Bung Karno then declared Indonesia out of the IOCand initiated the formation of the Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO) as a counter to the Olympic Games. (L/R04/RS5)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)