KOI testifies as factual witness for Sports Ministry in Pertina lawsuit

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) Secretary General Wijaya Noeradi appeared as a factual witness for the Ministry of Youth and Sports in a lawsuit filed by East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Board (Pengprov) Pertina Chairman Semuel Haning against the Minister of Youth and Sports at the East Jakarta State Administrative Court (PTUN) on Wednesday. Wijaya said his presence at the hearing was to explain the governance of amateur boxing within the Olympic Movement, particularly after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revoked its recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA), the international federation with which Pertina was previously affiliated. “I was asked by the Ministry to be a factual witness regarding the lawsuit by Mr Semuel Haning. I was asked to explain how amateur boxing governance works globally,” Wijaya said after the hearing in East Jakarta. He explained that NOC Indonesia presented the chronology of the IOC’s withdrawal of recognition from the IBA, starting from the IOC’s decision in June 2023, the appeal process at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), to the subsequent rejection by the Swiss Federal Court. According to Wijaya, after all legal processes concluded, the IOC instructed all NOCs to sever ties with national sports organisations still affiliated with the IBA. “At the end of September 2024, NOCs were directly informed by the IOC that every NOC must cut relations with sports organisations still affiliated with the IBA,” Wijaya stated. He emphasised that NOC Indonesia’s stance on the matter was not about choosing one organisation over another, but about fulfilling its obligations as part of the Olympic Movement. “For us, there is no other choice. We must follow IOC rules, including ensuring our members are affiliated with an IOC-recognised international federation,” he said. Wijaya explained that under NOC Indonesia’s statutes, any member whose international federation loses IOC recognition automatically forfeits its membership status. Based on this, the NOC Indonesia Executive Committee decided to terminate Pertina’s membership. “If we allowed Pertina to remain a member, the NOC itself would be considered non-compliant with the Olympic Charter. Because that is the provision given to us, there is no choice,” Wijaya said. During the hearing, Wijaya also noted the existence of World Boxing, which has received provisional recognition from the IOC. He said this recognition reopens the pathway for boxing to be contested at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics. Regarding the minister’s statement about dualism in amateur boxing, Wijaya argued that the existence of two organisations does not necessarily mean an internal dispute. He said the issue must be viewed through the lens of each organisation’s international affiliation. “This dualism is sometimes misleading, as if there is a dispute. The fact is there are two paths. Some want to follow the Olympics, others want to follow IBA activities. That is not wrong,” Wijaya said. “But if the ultimate goal is the Olympics, Asian Games, and SEA Games, then one must be affiliated with or part of the Olympic Movement. Otherwise, we train athletes to exhaustion with no path to the Olympics,” he added. Wijaya expressed hope that the organisational dynamics within boxing would not harm athletes. He stressed that athletes must continue to receive opportunities to compete through objective and non-discriminatory selection. “The bottom line is that athletes must not become victims. Athletes are the heart of sport. The field of play decides. Athletes, wherever they come from, must not be obstructed,” Wijaya said. Semuel Haning’s lawsuit against the minister stems from objections to statements regarding dualism in amateur boxing. During the trial, NOC Indonesia was presented as a factual witness to explain the governance of amateur boxing within the Olympic Movement and the basis for Pertina’s termination from NOC Indonesia membership.