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FIFA Removes Indonesia as a Host of U-20 World Cup over Rejection of Israel's Participation

April 3, 2023

 

Hundreds protested near the State Palace in Jakarta, Indonesia, March 20, 2023	Indonesians participate in a rally in Jakarta to persuade the government to reject participation by Israel's team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023, March 20, 2023

 

FIFA Removes Indonesia as Host U-20 World Cup over Rejection of Israel’s Participation

March 29, 2023 Blog, News FIFA President Gianni Infantino. (Photo: UN, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

Indonesia has been stripped of the right to host the Under-20 Football World Cup over Jakarta’s refusal to host the Israeli team, FIFA said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Following today’s meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir, FIFA has decided, due to the current circumstances, to remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023,” the statement read.

The 24-team tournament was scheduled to be held from May 20 to June  11 across six Indonesian cities, and Israel was set to make its debut in the competition.

Tel Aviv and Jakarta have no formal diplomatic ties. Indonesia has repeatedly condemned Israeli violations against the Palestinian people and called for a boycott of Israeli goods.

FIFA Removes Indonesia as Host U-20 World Cup over Rejection of Israel’s Participation - Palestine Chronicle

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Indonesia stripped of hosting FIFA U-20 World Cup for rejecting Israeli presence

Wednesday, 29 March 2023 6:26 PM  [ Last Update: Wednesday, 29 March 2023 7:05 PM ] An Indonesian woman holds the flag of Palestine during a rally in Jakarta on March 20, 2023, to demand the Indonesian government reject the participation of Israel's team 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup. (File photo by AFP)

FIFA, the world football's governing body, has stripped Indonesia of the 2023 U-20 World Cup hosting rights after massive protests in the Muslim-majority country against the participation of the Israeli team.

In a statement on Wednesday, FIFA said it has decided to “remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023” following a meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and President of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir.

The statement said the decision was made “due to current circumstances” but did not provide any further details.

The decision comes as FIFA canceled the draw event which was set to be held on Friday in Bali amid protests in the Muslim-majority country against hosting an Israeli team. Support for the Palestinian cause runs deep in the world’s most populous Muslim nation.

Bali island governor Wayan Koster had reportedly refused to host the Israeli team for the draw ceremony. According to media reports, he called on the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports to "adopt a policy forbidding the Israeli team from competing in Bali."

In its statement, FIFA said, “Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage.”

Support for the Palestinian cause is not strange in sporting fields as athletes from Muslim countries have repeatedly refused to compete against Israeli opponents at major international events to protest Israel’s crimes and occupation of Palestinian land.

The May 20-June 11 event was set to be the first major football tournament hosted by the Southeast Asian nation.

The cancellation also comes after a stadium stampede in October last year left 135 people dead in East Java, one of the worst disasters in the sport's history.

"FIFA would like to underline that despite this decision, it remains committed to actively assisting the PSSI, in close cooperation and with the support of the government, in the transformation process of Indonesian football following the tragedy that occurred in October 2022," read the statement.  

FIFA has pledged to announce a new host as soon as possible, noting that the dates will remain unchanged.

Many Muslim-majority countries have in the past refused to host Israeli athletes and many Muslim athletes to refused to compete against Israeli opponents as an expression of support and solidarity with the oppressed people of Palestine. 

During the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year, the pro-Palestine sentiment was on full display as spectators and footballers were seen waving the Palestinian flag in stadiums and forcing Israeli journalists to leave the match venues.

Indonesia stripped of hosting FIFA U-20 World Cup for rejecting Israeli presence (presstv.ir)

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Indonesia U-20 World Cup roiled by Israel participation row

March 29, 2023 11:30 JST

JAKARTA --

Controversy has marred the run-up to football's Under-20 World Cup as some Muslim conservatives in host nation Indonesia oppose the entry of the Israeli team, sparking protests and forcing the postponement of the group draw.

Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel. Some provincial governors have called for Israel to be excluded from the tournament, scheduled to be held in six cities from May 20 to June 11 with teams from 24 countries.

Local opposition has risen to the point where President Joko Widodo has stepped in to try to calm the situation.

FIFA, football's global governing body and tournament organizer, canceled Friday's group draw scheduled to take place in Bali, PSSI, Indonesia's football association, announced Sunday, saying the decision was due to Bali Gov. Wayan Koster's refusal to host the Israeli team.

Gov. Ganjar Pranowo of Central Java, seen as one of the potential leading candidates in Indonesia's February 2024 presidential election, has also expressed opposition to Israel's participation. Both provinces are scheduled to host tournament games.

Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population, around 90% of its 270 million people. The country has long called for Palestinian independence. Conservative protests against Israel's participation in the U-20 cup have continued in Jakarta.

After the cancellation of Friday's draw, Widodo's government has become concerned that FIFA could hold the tournament in another country.

"I hereby guarantee Israel's participation has nothing to do with the consistency of our foreign policy position toward Palestine," Widodo said in an address on Tuesday. "Do not mix matters of sports and politics." 

Widodo instructed Erick Thohir, a cabinet minister and the head of PSSI, to seek a breakthrough with FIFA.

Indonesia has entered an election season, with presidential and parliamentary general elections scheduled for 2024, followed by gubernatorial elections in major provinces. Muslim conservatives have increased their political influence in recent years.

Some observers say the push for Israel's exclusion is being led by the Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the biggest party in Indonesia's ruling coalition.

Sukarno, Indonesia's first president and father of former president and current PDI-P leader Megawati Sukarnoputri, was a hard-liner who refused Israel's participation in the 1962 Asian Games. Widodo and Bali governor Ganjar are both PDI-P members.

Additional reporting by Bobby Nugroho.

Indonesia U-20 World Cup roiled by Israel participation row - Nikkei Asia

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FIFA ejects Indonesia as U-20 World Cup host over Israel controversy

Benar News, Indonesia, 2023-03-30

FIFA removed Indonesia as host of the U-20 World Cup 2023, the international football’s governing body announced Wednesday following calls in the Muslim-majority country to ban the Israeli team from participating in the tournament.

This is the second football-related blow for Indonesia in six months, after 135 people were killed in a post-match stampede at an East Java stadium.

FIFA made the announcement a day after Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said his country would host the tournament and assured citizens that Israel’s participation would not change Jakarta’s political stance supporting Palestinian statehood.

“FIFA has decided, due to the current circumstances, to remove Indonesia as the host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2023,” a statement from the Zurich-based football body said. “Potential sanctions against the PSSI may also be decided at a later stage.”

The statement came after a meeting between FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Erick Thohir, president of the Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI).

FIFA said a new host would be announced as soon as possible, with the dates of the tournament, May 20 to June 11, remaining unchanged. The statement did not explain what it meant by “the current circumstances” and did not mention Israel.

“FIFA would like to underline that despite this decision, it remains committed to actively assisting the PSSI, in close cooperation and with the support of the government of President Widodo, in the transformation process of Indonesian football following the tragedy that occurred in October 2022.”

FIFA added that members of its team would remain in Indonesia in the coming months to provide assistance to the PSSI.

Indonesia had prepared six stadiums for the U-20 World Cup, with the final match set to be held in the Central Java city of Solo, Jokowi’s hometown, where his son is mayor.

But the country’s plan to host the tournament was said to be in jeopardy after FIFA postponed the tournament’s draw, which was to take place on Friday in Bali, following calls by politicians and Muslim groups to ban Israel.

Earlier this month, Bali Gov. I Wayan Koster, a member of Jokowi’s ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, said he would not welcome Israel’s team on his Hindu-majority island, citing Israel’s “continuing occupation” of Palestinian land.

Last week, Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo, a presidential hopeful, said he, too, was opposed to Israel’s participation.

Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country, has no diplomatic relations with Israel. It has been a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights and statehood for decades.

On Tuesday, Jokowi said politics and sports should not mix, adding Israel’s participation would not affect Jakarta’s support for Palestine.

But as an analyst pointed out to BenarNews, FIFA took action against Russia.

“FIFA also banned Russia from participating in international events for invading Ukraine, which is also a form of politicization. So FIFA’s stance doesn’t show that football is detached from politics,” Reza Widyarsa, an international relations lecturer at Paramadina University, told BenarNews.

FIFA ejects Indonesia as U-20 World Cup host over Israel controversy — BenarNews

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