New Delhi: The Sports Ministry on Tuesday justified its stand to play against Pakistan in multilateral international events pointing to the severe sanctions imposed by the International Olympic Committee against Indonesia for denying visas to Israeli athletes for the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
In the backdrop of India’s deteriorating relations with Pakistan post Pahalgam terror attacks, the Indian government severed all bilateral sporting ties with Pakistan but said it will continue to compete against its neighbours in multilateral international events, as spelled out in IOC’s Olympic charter that safeguard countries from being excluded from sports on the basis of “racial, religious or political reasons or by reason of other forms of discrimination”.
With India’s ambition to host the 2036 Olympics and the 2030 Commonwealth Games (formally approved as hosts), the sports ministry said it will have to go by the International Olympic charter.
IOC, on October 22, came down heavily on Indonesia for excluding Israeli athletes from the championships, and recommended all international federations “not to host any international sports events or meetings in Indonesia until the Indonesian government provides adequate guarantees to the International Federations that it will allow access to the country for all participants, regardless of nationality, to attend.”
It also decided to end any form of dialogue with the NOC of Indonesia about hosting future editions of the Olympic Games, Youth Olympic Games, Olympic events or conferences. Indonesia also expressed interest in hosting the 2036 Olympics but the sanctions have ended their hopes.
The Sports Ministry said boycotting Pakistan in international events would have jeopardised India’s chances of hosting the 2036 Olympics.
“The government of India was always clear in its stand about playing political enemy Pakistan in multilateral tournaments,” said an official of the Sports Ministry.
“The Government’s stand is totally vindicated now. Boycotting Pakistan would have been detrimental to our Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of hosting the Summer Olympics in 2036. We could have attracted a blanket ban like Indonesia from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for hosting any international events. What happened to them could have happened to us,” the official said.
“We are on course to stage the Commonwealth Games in Ahmedabad in 2030 and again if we choose not to invite Pakistan it will only weaken our candidature for the 2036 Olympics. Government had to bear the flak of many citizens on social media after the Pahalgam terror attack, but IOC’s decision to ban Indonesia for political interference has only vindicated our decision,” the official said.
India played Pakistan in the Asia Cup cricket tournament leading to much criticism of its policy.
Six Israeli athletes, including Olympic gold medalist Artem Dolgopyat, were denied entry by Indonesia over the Palestinian issue .
IOC in its statement said it highlighted the IOC’s principled position: “all eligible athletes, teams and sports officials must be able to take part in international sports competitions and events without any form of discrimination by the host country, in accordance with the Olympic Charter and the fundamental principles of non-discrimination, autonomy and political neutrality that govern the Olympic movement.”
“These actions deprive athletes’ rights to compete peacefully and prevent the Olympic Movement from demonstrating the strength of sport,” the IOC said
