Jakarta, MINA – The Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), Dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad, stressed that Indonesia must take a firm stance in rejecting the presence of Israeli athletes at the 2025 Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. The event is scheduled to take place from October 19 to 25 at the Indonesia Arena in Jakarta.
According to Dr. Ben, as Dr. Sarbini Abdul Murad is known, this rejection is a form of Indonesia’s solidarity with the prolonged suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in the Gaza Strip, who continue to face genocide and a protracted blockade by Israel.
“This is a test for Indonesia to show consistency and concrete support for the Palestinian struggle. The presence of Israeli athletes in an international event on our soil clearly contradicts the spirit of solidarity that we have always upheld,” he asserted in a written statement received by MINA in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Indonesia was chosen to host the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2025, an Olympic qualifying event that will feature gymnasts from various countries, including the Israeli contingent.
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Sarbini believes that Indonesia’s firm rejection of Israel aligns with the country’s constitutional mandate and its free and active foreign policy. Furthermore, he argues it will strengthen Indonesia’s position on the world stage as a nation consistently defending Palestinian independence.
The issue of Israeli participation in international sporting events in Indonesia has previously sparked controversy, such as during the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023, where the rejection of the Israeli team ultimately led to the cancellation of Indonesia’s hosting status.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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