For Indonesia, a cancellation that stains – Sport & Société

2023-07-06 19:45:29

While Indonesia was due to host the second edition of the World Beach Games early next month – the World Beach Games – under the supervision of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the country finally did an about-face, forcing the international body to cancel the event. A situation that should leave traces in the Indonesian quest to win the 2036 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

Signing of the host territory contract for the 2023 World Beach Games on the sidelines of the ANOC General Assembly in October 2022 in Seoul, South Korea (Credits – ANOC)

From August 5 to 12, 2023, Bali was to be the anchor point for no less than 1,500 athletes from 130 countries called upon to compete in a rich program of 14 sports and 31 disciplines as part of the second edition of World Beach Games of the ACNO.

However, barely a month before the opening of the international event, the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) announced that it would not be able to organize the multi-sports event, for lack of have obtained the necessary funding from the government authorities.

The latter for their part affirmed that the said financing was available, but that other problems had arisen for the organizers without giving the nature.

As Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo said:

Indonesia is always ready to host international events, whether sporting or not, in line with the infrastructure and human resource development planned by President Joko Widodo for nearly a decade..

On a more political level, the withdrawal of Indonesia could also be explained by the refusal of the governor of Bali to see flowing into the territory of Israeli athletes while the country actively supports Palestine and has no relationship with Israel.

Although denied by ANOC, this position had already been one of the grievances upheld earlier this year by FIFA to withdraw the organization of the Men’s Under-20 World Cup which had previously been impacted by the health crisis in Covid-19the edition initially to be held in 2021.

For ANOC, this withdrawal has in any case a double impact which the proceedings would have done without, namely on the one hand the pure and simple cancellation of the World Beach Games – the deadline being particularly tight to manage to select an alternative host – and on the other hand the cancellation of its General Assembly which should have taken place at the same time as the Games. For this one, new dates and another place will nevertheless be announced later in the year.

In a press release, the body which brings together all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs) was also moved by this situation of discomfort in which it finds itself plunged.

As she put it:

It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learned that KOI has withdrawn from its commitment to host the World Beach Games and ANOC General Assembly scheduled for August 2023.

With the Games due to take place in a month, this late decision prevents ANOC from finding another organizer and there is therefore no other choice than to cancel the 2023 edition of the Games as well as the General Assembly. from ANOC to Bali.

Also in this same press release, ANOC points the finger at the responsibility of the organizers even though extensive discussions have regularly taken place between the parties.

As the international body affirms:

Although there were challenges in the preparations for the Games, as with any major multi-sport event, ANOC was regularly assured by the KOI that solutions would be found and the Games would go ahead as planned.

ANOC and the KOI met for weekly coordination meetings just last week and at no time did the KOI indicate that there were any issues that would lead to such an outcome..

The President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, with the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, and the IOC member, Erick Thohir, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit organized in November 2022 in Bali (Credits – IOC / Greg Martin)

Severe, this observation leads to a perspective on Indonesia’s Olympic and Paralympic ambitions.

How indeed can we now consider with serenity and in such a context the continuation of the Indonesian candidacy to host the 2036 Olympics?

The sudden withdrawal of the country from the organization of the World Beach Games should have a certain impact on the rest of the selection process for the future host, even if the latter is still far from being completed, the International Olympic Committee (IOC ) currently working on monitoring the preparations for the Paris 2024 Summer Games, on those of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games, as well as on the examination of the candidacies for the 2030-2034 Winter Olympics.

Nevertheless, ANOC should retain a bitterness towards Indonesia, which will not have in fact not been able to meet its commitments and its appetite for major events. As many IOC members are also NOC representatives within ANOC, confidence could – at least at this stage – be affected.

In recent years, Indonesia had put forward with force and determination the idea of a candidacy for the Summer Games, thus betting on the deadline of 2032 – finally attributed to Brisbane and Queensland (Australia) in the light of the new Olympic reforms – before falling back – among the first – on that of 2036.

President Joko Widodo had then been particularly active in promoting a project to be developed around the new capital under construction to eventually replace Jakarta.

The leader Indonesian had in particular had the opportunity to speak on several occasions with the President of the IOC, Thomas Bach, like their meeting in Bali – precisely – in November 2022.

On the sidelines of the G20 Summit organized on siteJoko Widodo had expressed the ambition of his country in these terms:

I convey today the will and the eagerness of Indonesia to host the Olympic Games of 2036 in the new capital of the archipelago.

As President of the G20 in this year 2022, together with other G20 leaders, I also underline the important role of sport for health, and to unite the world, especially at this time.

[Le succès des prochaines éditions des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques] will further emphasize the importance of political neutrality in international sporting events, as well as the autonomy of sports organisations.

At the end of the interview between the two leaders – also with the presence of Erick Thohir, IOC member in Indonesia since 2019, Thomas Bach had meanwhile welcomed the commitment made at the highest summit of the State.

As the IOC President had notably stated:

The IOC warmly welcomes Indonesia’s willingness to host the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games in its new capital, Nusantara.

Having attended a presentation of the Nusantara project and the progress made so far, I am deeply impressed by President Widodo’s vision to develop this city as a model of sustainable living, with emphasis on health and sport..

Impacted, but perhaps not definitively ruled out, Indonesia’s Olympic and Paralympic candidacy could now be redirected to a later date – 2040 – both by considering the effects of the sudden cancellation of World Beach Games and the affront made to ANOC but also in the light of possible advice that will be given by the IOC and its Future Host Commission.