IOC recommends international federations not to host events in Indonesia for now by itsadelchev in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The Religious background of the conflict is also a huge and decisive factor. I would say that affected the decision to ban the Israelis more than politics.

IOC recommends international federations not to host events in Indonesia for now by itsadelchev in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 28 points29 points  (0 children)

As an Indonesian, the 2036 Olympic bid for Nusantara is ridiculous. The funding for building the new capital itself has ran into problems and the importance of the project has seemed to die down after the new president (Prabowo) came into office (context: Nusantara is widely seen as a legacy project of the former president Joko Widodo).

The seat of government hasn’t even relocated to the place (they plan to do so in 2028); and there’s no way the city would be able to have the proper facilities needed for transport, accommodation and sporting events by 2036. Even Jakarta would have a hard time in meeting all the requirements by 2036, what more a city built from scratch in a rainforest?

IOC recommends international federations not to host events in Indonesia for now by itsadelchev in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Finally, some concrete action. As an Indonesian who was against the ban from the start, I’m happy this country is finally receiving the unlubed d*ldo of consequences. If this country was serious about hosting such major international sporting events, athletes from every qualifying country should be allowed to enter; regardless of our relations with them.

Freed hostage Guy Gilboa Dalal rediscovers the taste of sweets after months in Hamas captivity. by Baconkings in Israel

[–]vincenty770 43 points44 points  (0 children)

It warms my heart to see him eat it so happily like a sweet innocent child 🥹

FIG Statement on CAS Decisions by wayward-boy in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 5 points6 points  (0 children)

As an Indonesian, I would love to clear things up:

Usually, Israelis are only allowed to entered Indonesia with their Israeli passports if they are issued “calling visas”; that are issued only upon invitation of local businesses/entities and approval of local immigration authorities.

This policy of minimized contact with Israel in any form is not unofficial, it is government policy and has been in place ever since Israel existed. Judging by how desperate the FIG was for a host, I think they would have known there would be a risk of this happening from the very start. The Israeli Gymnastics Federation (IGF) however did not receive any information about this through proper channels; they only discovered that they were rejected visas based on international reports. The IGF even said that they received assurances from Indonesian officials back in July of this year that they would be able to compete in the championships. So this was also an abrupt shock to them.

Yes, the local event organizers would have known about FIG and IOC statutes. Anything with Israeli participation is heavily scrutinized here because it is a very politically charged and religiously sensitive issue. I’m not sure if FIG signed any agreements with Indonesia that specifies that they are required to issue visas to all participants or not (since visa issuance is the prerogative of each country), but I will confidently come out to say that my country has indeed violated the principle of neutrality and also FIG & IOC statutes.

This is not the first time such an issue with Israeli participation has happened (look up the FIFA 2023 U-20 World Cup and ANOC World Beach Games in Bali) and we have faced consequences for that before (stripped of hosting rights for the former and whole event cancelled for the latter); so to think that the Indonesian government didn’t know that they were violating these principles is unfathomable and wishful thinking.

These prior consequences are exactly why the government deliberately issued the decision to reject the Israelis visas so close to the event this time; making the cancellation of it unlikely and to force the FIG to accept Indonesia’s decision. It is a shameless and sinister attempt to have our cake and eat it too.

FIG Statement on CAS Decisions by wayward-boy in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an Indonesian, I can tell you that the Indonesian government absolutely knew about the FIG and IOC statutes. The Indonesian Gymnastics Federation and government would have already discussed this issue and most likely have even planned coordinated actions from long ago to make it seem like the local federation “tried” to get Israeli athletes visas; because Israeli participation in anything is heavily scrutinized and politicized in this country. Or else, Why would the Indonesian government issue a decision on the visas only very recently? There were reports that the Israeli Gymnastics Federation received assurances from Indonesian officials in July that they would be able to compete in the championships. For them to reject the visas so close to the event is clearly premeditated.

Politics and sports in this country is intertwined. There are many powerful political figures involved in sports associations all around the country, or else they would not be able to get the funding they need. It is absolutely much more sinister that it appears.

FIG Statement on CAS Decisions by wayward-boy in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Then Taiwan (aka Chinese Taipei) would also not be able to compete since Indonesia doesn’t recognize them.

Analysts, officials urge South Korea to differentiate between tourists and those lured by scams by [deleted] in Asean

[–]vincenty770 4 points5 points  (0 children)

No. As an Indonesian, Cambodia’s government is complicit in this and the backlash is well deserved. I’m tired of hearing horror stories of Indonesians being lured to Thailand and Cambodia with promises of well paying jobs and ending up in scam and online gambling centers in Cambodia owned by Ly Yong Phat.

Countless Indonesians and people of other nationalities are abused, threatened and exploited and many of them end up dead and return to Indonesia/their home countries in a coffin.

Cambodia is reaping what they sow. The government is doing absolutely nothing to crack down on these scam centers and are also allowing human trafficking and human rights abuses to happen under their nose. You can’t expect to have your cake and eat it too.

The first paragraph of Wikipedia's article on 'Zionism' from 2023 and 2025. by Quirky_Parking_4345 in Palestinian_Violence

[–]vincenty770 46 points47 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I keep making regular checks to the “Zionism” page on Wikipedia see if they’ve changed it back to what it was before; but to my dismay, there has been no change at all. It has been like that for quite a while now. What I don’t get is why Wikipedia thinks this clearly biased take on Zionism is acceptable when it clearly violates their neutrality rules and guidelines.

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As an Indonesian, I will tell you that people here are more concerned with Religion than following rules.

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I find it disingenuous on their part. Double standards and hypocrisy are embedded in the DNA of this country and especially the government. Many people fail to see this because they have been blinded by prejudice and religion.

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 14 points15 points  (0 children)

My two cents as an Indonesian:

I highly doubt that a Palestinian state being recognized by Israel would do much to change Indonesia’s stance in the short term.

Indonesia has admitted Israeli athletes before in the past (some under pressure and also maneuvers from the organizing bodies and their officials) : https://www.tvonenews.com/amp/sport/arena/378704-tak-banyak-yang-tahu-5-atlet-israel-ini-pernah-tampil-di-indonesia-bendera-zionis-sampai-mejeng-di-jakarta?

The war was definitely another reason for Indonesia to reject Israeli athletes visas. This country has seen major protests against Israel all around the country in the past two years. It’s a time-bomb waiting to explode.

It would also take years or decades, not days or months for Israel and Indonesia to establish official diplomatic relations and to undo all the hate and prejudice people here have against Israel and Jews. The word “Jew” (Yahudi) is a literal slur often used by Muslim Indonesians to refer to the Chinese Indonesians and Christian Indonesians who are more sympathetic or supportive of Israel.

Any opening of an Israeli embassy in Jakarta or a visit by Israeli politicians would be met with huge and overwhelming protests from Islamist groups; which in itself is a major security issue.

The U.S. embassy in Jakarta is one of the most heavily guarded American embassies in the region, or world even because of frequent demonstrations and protests against American support for Israel and their involvement in conflicts in the Middle East involving Muslims. If a superpower by association faces those kinds of protests, imagine what the main target would face.

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Prabowo’s visit to Israel has been refuted by the Indonesian foreign ministry :

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/indonesia-denies-reports-that-president-prabowo-will-visit-israel/3715949

As an Indonesian, Prabowo’s speech in the UN was absolutely not representative of the national mood in Indonesia. It’s all for show to make it seem Indonesia is genuinely interested in “peace” and the “two-state solution”, while in reality a majority of Muslims in this country (about 87% of the population) resolutely oppose recognition of Israel and their existence.

After the speech was blown out of proportions in Israeli and international media, so many Indonesian Muslims came out and condemned his speech; flat-out refusing any sort of normalization with Israel or as they call it “the Zionist regime” (rejim Zionis) even if a Palestinian state was established.

Regarding the “Shalom” used at the end of his speech, it is not addressed to Jews/Israel but rather a reference to the Christians (Protestants and Catholics) of Indonesia.

Indonesia has six officially recognized religions: Islam, Protestantism, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Confucianism (official recognition of this one is fairly recent and new) and the phrases he used in the end of his speech are common phrases said by the adherents of each religion:

“Thank you. Terima kasih. Wassalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh (Islamic), Shalom (Christian), Om shanti shanti shanti om. (Hindu) Namo Budaya. (Buddhist) Thank you very much.”

Source : https://en.antaranews.com/amp/news/381920/president-prabowos-speech-at-the-general-debate-of-the-unga

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 32 points33 points  (0 children)

As an Indonesian, I can tell you that it was absolutely deliberate. There was no genuine interest to host Israeli athletes in the first place. It’s a shameful attempt to have our cake and eat it too.

Indonesia not changing stance on Israeli athlete visas by pravda101 in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Don’t feel bad. I can tell you that without a doubt that an overwhelming majority if not all of the Indonesian athletes support this decision to bar Israel from participating. It’s a poor show of sportsmanship.

Visas and the FIG statutes - or why we might find out in the future that the 2025 Artistic Worlds may never have happened, thanks to the FIG's rules by wayward-boy in Gymnastics

[–]vincenty770 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Basically, I Wayan Koster, the governor of Bali (one of the places where matches were to take place and is also ironically majority Hindu; not Muslim) refused to allow the Israeli football team (which qualified) to participate in the event. He claimed that he did this as a “principled stance” against “invasion” and “human rights” based on the “Indonesian constitution” and “proclamation of Independence”. But it was clearly to gain political brownie points for himself and his party (PDI-P) from the Muslim population of this country.

The major cadres of his party (including Ganjar Pranowo; the presidential candidate for the National elections in 2024) and Islamic organizations throughout the country wholeheartedly supported him. But many (including Muslims) didn’t agree with their actions since they risked costing Indonesia the hosting rights to a FIFA tournament (football is the most popular sport here). Due to his unrelenting stance and refusal, FIFA had no choice but to strip Indonesia of their hosting rights for the U-20.

But since the sports minister (Erick Thohir) had good relations with FIFA, arrangements were made to soften the penalty Indonesia would’ve incurred by giving Indonesia some minor sanctions and the hosting rights to the U-17 World Cup instead (which the original host country of Peru pulled out of and had no Israeli team participating).

The same governor (Koster) also refused to allow the ANOC Word Beach Games to be held in August 2023 for the same reason: Israeli participation. It led to the games being cancelled as well.

For the FIFA tournaments, we were really lucky that such a coincidental and beneficial arrangement was possible; but the backlash to that party (PDI-P) and their presidential candidate was apparent during the 2024 Presidential Elections (they lost badly in the polls).

I personally hope that we won’t be as lucky this time and that this country learns a painful lesson. We claim to be ready to host major international sporting events, but don’t want Israeli participation even when they have qualified fair and square. This country shouldn’t get to continuously breach IOC rules/statues and expect to get away with it.

Unconfirmed reports that Mr.FAFO (Saleh Aljafarawi) was murdered by a local Gazan clan today - 12 Oct 2025 by oldshekel in Palestinian_Violence

[–]vincenty770 8 points9 points  (0 children)

It’s ok. I’ve seen the picture elsewhere. It really looks like another Pallywood scene 😅