Jakarta, Oct. 18 (Jiji Press)–Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Gymnastics Federation, or FIG, on Saturday expressed understanding for the International Olympic Committee’s statement that showed concern over the Indonesian government’s refusal to issue visas to the Israeli gymnastics team ahead of the gymnastics world championships. In a press conference in Jakarta, the Indonesian capital, where the championships are set to start on Sunday, Watanabe said that he agrees with the IOC, adding that sports and politics should be kept separate. The IOC released the statement on Friday, expressing “great concern” over the Indonesian government’s decision to exclude Israeli gymnasts from the championships. Watanabe, who had tried to find a way for the Israeli team’s participation, expressed regret about not being able to protect the gymnasts’ rights. He suggested that the decision was the result of the Indonesian government taking safety into consideration. Indonesia, where the majority of the population is Muslim, has criticized the Israeli military’s attacks on the Palestinian Gaza Strip. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
FIG’s Watanabe Shares IOC’s Concern over Israeli Gymnasts’ Exclusion
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