BREAKING: IOC rejects Indonesia’s 2036 Olympic bid amid government ban on Israeli athletes at World Gymnastics Championships_On October 22–23 2025 the IOC’s Executive Board met and released a statement recommending..
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has officially cut off any meaningful dialogue with Indonesia regarding its ambitions to host the 2036 Summer Olympic Games, as a consequence of the Indonesian government’s decision to deny visas to athletes from Israel at the ongoing 2025 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta. The move signals a severe setback for Indonesia’s Olympic aspirations and underscores the IOC’s determination to uphold non-discrimination and equal access to sport.
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Background: The visa denial and Olympic bid
Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has long been vocal in its support of Palestine, and has no formal diplomatic relations with Israel. In early October 2025, the Indonesian government declared that it would deny visas to Israeli gymnasts scheduled to take part in the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.
The Indonesian senior legal affairs minister, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, cited objections from religious groups (including the country’s council of Islamic clerics) as well as the government’s stance on Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The decision resulted in the Israeli delegation, including reigning men’s floor exercise world champion and 2020 Olympic gold medallist Artem Dolgopyat, being unable to enter Indonesia for the championships.
Prior to the visa denial, Indonesia had expressed strong interest in hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics (or working toward that goal) — including from its national Olympic committee and the government. However, the IOC determined that Indonesia’s actions violated key principles of the Olympic Charter — namely non-discrimination, political neutrality and equal access for all athletes.
On October 22–23 2025 the IOC’s Executive Board met and released a statement recommending that no international sports federations stage events in Indonesia until the government provides appropriate guarantees of access for all athletes regardless of nationality. They also ended “any form of dialogue” with Indonesia concerning the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences.
In short: Indonesia’s bid for the 2036 Olympics has been effectively frozen or rejected for now, pending corrective action on the visa issue.
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What exactly did the IOC say?
The IOC executive board’s statement was pointed:
All eligible athletes, teams and officials must be able to participate in international sports competitions without any form of discrimination by the host country.
The host country, organising committees and concerned sports organisations are responsible for ensuring that access is granted regardless of nationality.
In Indonesia’s case, the IOC determined that because the country declined to issue visas to certain athletes, it cannot host Olympic or major sports events until guarantees are given.
The IOC will also recommend that international federations refrain from scheduling tournaments, events or meetings in Indonesia until such guarantees are provided.
The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) has been invited to a meeting at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne to discuss the matter.
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Indonesia’s reaction
Indonesia’s Youth and Sport Minister, Erick Thohir, said the government understood that its decision would have consequences. He reaffirmed Indonesia’s desire to continue playing an active role in regional and global sports events, saying that Indonesian sport is meant to be an ambassador for the nation.
Thohir also noted that Indonesia’s stance was consistent with its domestic obligation for security, public order and public interest — pointing to Jakarta’s legal and constitutional duty. He conceded that as long as Indonesia denies Israeli athletes access, it should expect to be barred from Olympic hosting prospects.
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The implications for the 2036 bid
With the IOC halting dialogue on Indonesia’s bid, the country’s hopes of hosting the 2036 Summer Olympics have suffered a significant blow. While not formally “rejected” in irrevocable terms, the freeze amounts to a de facto rejection unless Indonesia changes course.
According to Wikipedia’s summary of bids, the IOC announced on 22 October 2025 that it would end dialogue with Indonesia regarding the 2030 Youth Olympics, the 2036 Summer Olympics or any future Games, until the government provides guarantees of non-discrimination.
Indonesia had earlier advanced facilities plans and multiple city options (including the new capital region of Nusantara, Jakarta, Bali, Palembang/Medan) for a 2036 bid. But now the path is blocked unless major policy shifts occur.
This outcome has wider significance: it demonstrates that the IOC is willing to sanction entire nations’ Olympic ambitions when their domestic policy conflicts with the Olympic Charter. In effect, hosting the Olympics is not simply about stadiums and infrastructure — it also depends on diplomatic and ethical compliance.
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The broader context: sport, politics and discrimination
This dispute sits at the intersection of international sport and geopolitics. Indonesia’s decision to block Israeli athletes is consistent with its long-standing refusal to host Israeli delegations, dating back decades (for example, the 1962 Asian Games saw Israel denied visas in Jakarta).
In recent years, athletes from Israel have faced restrictions or boycotts in multiple sports by countries that do not recognise Israel or support Palestinian causes.
The IOC emphasises that sport must remain autonomous and free from political interference. Its key values include non-discrimination (on grounds such as nationality), and political neutrality; the moment a host country allows politics to dictate athletes’ access, the IOC regards that as unacceptable. The Jakarta case shows how that principle can be enforced.
From the sports federations’ perspective too, hosting major events requires credible assurances that all participants will be treated equally. The current dispute may trigger rule changes — the IOC has already said it will revise qualification principles to require guarantees of access.
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What happens next?
For Indonesia:
The Indonesian government must provide the IOC with “adequate guarantees” that all athletes, regardless of nationality, will be granted entry if it wants to resume Olympic hosting prospects.
Until such assurances are forthcoming, Indonesia may be avoided by international sports federations — reducing its opportunities to host world championships, major qualifiers or Olympic-related events.
The reputational damage may be long-lasting: being barred from hosting rights also affects sponsorship, infrastructure planning and domestic sports growth.
For the IOC and the wider Olympic movement:
The IOC’s decision sets a precedent: a national government’s denial of access to athletes can lead to the removal or suspension of future hosting rights.
Other countries bidding for future Olympics will likely face increased scrutiny about their domestic policies on athlete access, visas and discrimination.
Federations organising qualification events will now likely include access guarantee clauses that were previously less emphasised.
For athletes and sports:
Israeli athletes affected by the visas denial lost the opportunity to compete in the world championships, which may impact their qualification, ranking and competitive trajectory.
Athletes from other countries may view the Indonesian case as a warning: hosting locations can become unstable if political interference exists.
Sports fans and stakeholders will watch how the IOC balances host country sovereignty with the principles of the Olympic Charter in future.
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Final thoughts
The decision by the IOC to halt discussions with Indonesia over the 2036 Olympic bid is a powerful statement that the Olympic Games are not simply about infrastructure, prestige and national ambition. They are also about values. When a host country denies some athletes access on the basis of nationality or political stance, that host country’s eligibility is thrown into question.
Indonesia has built major sports venues, hosted regional games and positioned itself ambitiously for global sport. Yet — at least for now — its path toward hosting the 2036 Olympics has been blocked. The key question now is whether the Indonesian government will choose to align with the IOC’s equality and access demands, or persist with its current policy and forego Olympic dreams.
If the government opts for the former, it will need to act decisively, offer transparent guarantees and rebuild credibility with the international sporting community. If it stays the course, it may face not just exclusion from the 2036 bid, but broader isolation from major global sports events.
In the end, the message is clear: the Olympic movement will uphold its values — and hosting rights come with responsibilities that go beyond stadiums and opening ceremonies.
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