Sentiment in Indonesia has been divided in recent weeks. On the one hand, people took to the streets to protest against the Land of Israel. On the other hand, feelings of pride and anticipation also spread: Because in just a month and a half, the Southeast Asian country would welcome the football world. From May 20th, the three-week U20 World Cup should take place there.
But this was also the reason for the street protests – not against the World Cup itself, but against one of the participants. One of the qualified teams is Israel, which Indonesia does not recognize as a state. The predominantly Muslim nation of 274 million people stands by Palestine.
World Cup withdrawal: It’s also about politics
And from this combination, a scandal brewed in the middle of the week that went around the world. A channel like “Republic World” from India, where interest in football is actually not particularly great, reported on Thursday: “In view of the current circumstances, FIFA has decided to withdraw Indonesia’s right to host the U20 World Cup in 2023. This was announced in a statement from the association.”
It’s also making headlines in countries like India because it’s only partly about football – at least as much about politics.
Bali governor wanted to deny Israel entry
What happened? In Indonesia, not only a few demonstrators were against the fact that the athletically qualified Israelis would travel to the tournament in the country. The governor of Bali, known as a holiday paradise, had even said he would not host the Israeli force on his island.
The organizers then postponed the group draw before the world football association decided on Wednesday that Indonesia was not a worthy host.
President of Indonesia makes contradicting statements
It’s a disgrace to the country. Because in various spheres – from tourism to sports to trade and investment – Indonesia actually wants to present itself as an open nation. President Joko Widodo emphasized in an interview with the financial broadcaster Bloomberg last summer: “Indonesia wants to be friends with everyone, with every country. We don’t have a problem with any country.”
Then, amid the controversy this week, Widodo attempted to mediate. Israel’s participation in the tournament has nothing to do with Indonesia’s foreign policy towards Palestine: “Our principles are consistent in that we support the Palestinian people’s struggle for independence and the realization of a two-state solution.”
Widodo also warned that politicians and sports officials always like to emphasize when everything looks to be the opposite: sports and politics should not be mixed up.
Disappointment in Indonesia U20 footballers
That’s how the young footballers of the country, who are no longer allowed to host, see it. Hokky Caraka, a player for Indonesia U20 side, said: “We prepared as well as we can, training three times a day. People just don’t understand how hard we’ve worked.”
The U20 footballer stressed: “Well, whoever wants to express his or her opinion on this matter now should also consider our situation. Because we players are affected by it now. Not only us, but all footballers. Now I just hope that Indonesia will not be punished.”
Israel often the target of boycotts
The political side of sport is not only expressed in Indonesia. With regard to Israel alone, there are various sporting examples of the boycott. At the Olympic Games, Iranian athletes stand out time and again because they would rather drop out of the tournament than compete with an Israeli. Similar gestures can also be observed in Arab countries.
But it’s not always about Israel. At a break-dancing competition in December, a mainland Chinese team withdrew after Taiwan waved its flag. And most recently, many sports associations have banned Russia and Belarus from competitions: in the midst of the war of aggression against Ukraine, FIFA also banned Russia from tournaments.
Overall, however, the world association tries to show that sport has nothing to do with politics. Especially in a tense world situation, sport is a way to bring the world together.
FIFA could sanction Indonesian football federation
But that the host country of a tournament seems to refuse a nation entry, against the will of the world association, is a novelty. And this is how FIFA is now possibly taking action against the Indonesian football association PSSI.
A press statement from mid-week said: “Possible sanctions against the PSSI will be decided at a later date.” Indonesia’s head of the association has meanwhile announced that he wants to speak to FIFA again. It’s probably just damage limitation.