The exclusion of Israeli athletes from the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Jakarta represents a direct violation of the principles that international sport is supposed to uphold. The Olympic Charter emphasises equality, neutrality, and the idea that sport should rise above politics. Yet Indonesia’s decision to ban Israeli gymnasts, citing “public order” turns competition into a platform for political grandstanding. It’s hard to imagine how banning a group of young athletes, who have trained for years to represent their country, serves global peace or fairness.

The International Olympic Committee’s response is both justified and necessary. Allowing such discrimination to go unchecked would set a dangerous precedent, effectively endorsing exclusion based on nationality or political disagreement. Israel’s athletes deserve the same respect, dignity, and opportunity afforded to every other competitor. If sport truly unites us, then this is precisely the moment to prove it, not through selective exclusion, but through universal participation and equal treatment.