Indonesia denies visas to gymnasts from Israel before World Artistic Gymnastics Championships
CAS rejected Israel appeal and the six gymnasts from the country will not travel to Jakarta and will miss World Championships.
The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships take place this weekend in Jakarta, Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country. But Israel will not be there, as Indonesia has denied visas to the six Israel gymnasts expected to participate in the competition. Israel appealed to the Court of Arbitration of Sports (CAS), but it has rejected the appeal, citing lack of jurisdiction.
CAS said that after reviewing the appeal from Israel, it turned down, and Israel will not participate in the competition that will bring over 500 athletes from 79 countries to Jakarta, starting Sunday.
Indonesia, with no diplomatic ties with Israel, rejected two weeks before the competition the visas for Israeli athletes, citing objections from groups such as a council of Islamic clerics and the government in Jakarta, according to Reuters.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation called the decision shocking and heart-breaking, as they hoped that CAS would "give a very strong decision that will intimidate anybody that has such crazy ideas to discriminate against any athlete from any country for any reason."
