Gatot Dewa Broto Urges Indonesian NOC to Respond Quickly to IOC Recommendations Regarding Ban on International Championships

Viralterkini.id, Jakarta — National sports observer Gatot Sulistiantoro Dewa Broto urged the Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia) to immediately follow up on the recommendation of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which prohibits holding international sports championships in Indonesia.

Gatot considers this problem to be very serious and could have a long-term impact on the reputation of Indonesian sports in the eyes of the world.

The IOC’s recommendation was issued after the Indonesian government canceled visas for Israeli athletes scheduled to take part in the 2025 World Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta.

In its statement, the IOC emphasized that the ban could be lifted if Indonesia provided official guarantees regarding entry for athletes from any country without discrimination.

“We ask the Indonesian NOC and the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) to come and discuss this issue directly,” read the IOC’s official statement.

Gatot said that the IOC’s warning was not just an ordinary warning, but a strong signal that Indonesia’s position in the global sports community was at stake.

“This is a problem that must be addressed seriously, don’t play around,” said the former Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Sesmenpora), Thursday (23/10/2025).

He estimates that the IOC has been monitoring Indonesia’s situation since the cancellation of the U-20 World Cup last year due to rejection of the presence of the Israeli team.

“At that time, the campaign to organize the U-20 World Cup was extraordinary, but it was cancelled. Now the IOC seems to see the same pattern,” said Gatot.

According to him, if this problem is not addressed immediately, the impact could spread to affect Indonesia’s chances of hosting various international sporting events in the future.

“The point is clear: this is a very serious problem and could damage our credibility,” said Gatot.

He assessed that the main responsibility for responding to the IOC’s recommendations lies with the General Chair of the Indonesian NOC, Raja Sapta Oktohari.

“Because this is directly related to the IOC, the Indonesian NOC must immediately provide clarification and solutions,” he said.

Gatot then mentioned a similar experience when Indonesia received sanctions from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in 2021-2022.

At that time, the Indonesian Anti-Doping Organization (IADO) was deemed not to have complied with the rules for sending doping test samples.

As a result, Indonesia was prohibited from flying the Red and White flag at international sporting events other than the Olympics and Paralympics, and lost the right to host a number of world championships.

“The situation at that time was like a nightmare,” recalled Gatot, who is now General Chair of IADO. “However, this problem could be resolved within a few months thanks to Raja Sapta Oktohari’s lobbying skills in international forums.”

For this reason, Gatot expressed his confidence that Menpora Erick Thohir and Raja Sapta Oktohari were able to overcome the problem of this IOC recommendation with a diplomatic approach and cross-institutional coordination.

“I am sure that both of them have strong enough capabilities and international networks to fix this situation,” he said.

He emphasized that the resolution must be carried out immediately because the impact is not only on one sport, but also on long-term plans for the development of Indonesian sports.

“If this problem drags on, our schedule and plans for participation in various events could be disrupted,” he added.

Gatot also asked Menpora Erick Thohir and NOC Indonesia to provide an open explanation to the public and the international community regarding Indonesia’s position.

According to him, it is important for the government to show commitment to the principles of neutrality and openness in global sports.

“We must provide guarantees that all athletes from any country can compete in Indonesia without political obstacles,” he said.

“Globally, this issue is very political. Therefore, communication must be careful but firm so that Indonesia does not lose the trust of the world of sports.”

Gatot closed his statement by reminding him of the importance of elegant and strategic sports diplomacy.

“This is a test for all of us. If it can be resolved well, Indonesia will actually show maturity in managing sensitive issues at the international level,” he said.

Thus, the quick steps taken by the Indonesian NOC together with Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir are the key to ensuring that Indonesia remains trusted to be an important part of the world sports community.