The multi-sport event was due to take place in Bali from August 5 to 12 but was cancelled yesterday after the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) told ANOC that the Government had failed to provide the promised funding for the event. 

The KOI claimed that it was forced to pull out after the Games' budget was not released by the country's Government in Jakarta.

But Dito claimed that his Ministry had arranged a special budget for the Games assisted by the Finance and Development Controller  and the Directorate General of Budget of the Finance Ministry.

"Indonesia is always ready to be a host of international events, both sports or other events in line with the development of infrastructure and human resources planned by President Jokowi for almost the past decade," he told media in Indonesia.

The Olympic Committee of Israel (OCI) has claimed that Indonesia was trying to exclude them from competing and ANOC's insistence that they should be allowed to compete had caused Indonesia to pull out of hosting the Games. 

Disagreements over Israel's appearance in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim-majority country in the world, had dominated the lead up to the event, with Bali Governor Wayan Koster claiming Israel would not take part.

Indonesia does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel and also public supports Palestine in its long-running conflict with the Middle Eastern nation.

Earlier this year, Indonesia was stripped of the hosting rights for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup due to the country's refusal to host Israel, who had qualified for the tournament. 

Dito seems to have confirmed that reasons other than financial were behind the Government's decision not to support the ANOC World Beach Games.

"Other than the planning, there are indeed other issues following the cancellation of the FIFA Uunder-20 World Cup," he said. 

"But for financial ability, it can be seen that the Government is always ready to send multi-sports contingents and is never late to give bonuses to athletes who earn medals."

The decision by the Government in Jakarta to withhold funding for the ANOC World Beach Games coincided with Israel launching a major military operation in the West Bank.

Israeli troops have claimed they are hunting for Palestinian militants and weapons in a refugee camp.

Military bulldozers have ripped through alleys and thousands of residents have fled to safety. 

So far, 10 Palestinians have been killed.

The large-scale raid of the Jenin camp, which began Monday (July 3), is one of the most intense military operations in the occupied West Bank in nearly two decades.

The OCI had been lobbying hard to ensure that they were not banned from the ANOC World Beach Games. 

"The Beach Games in Bali, in Indonesia which were supposed to start on 5.8.23 revealed to all of us that there are still countries that seek to exclude Israel from participating in sports events contrary to the Olympic values," read an OCI statement, obtained by insidethegames.

"Although the games were canceled tonight, by ANOC, the umbrella organisation of the Olympic Committees in the world, due to financial reasons, we welcome and are proud that the Olympic Movement remained faithful to the Olympic values and protected the right to equal competition for all.

"Throughout the last months we have been involved and with our hand on the pulse to make sure that the position of the Israeli delegation is preserved."

The late withdrawal left ANOC without time to find a replacement host, forcing the cancellation and leaving the organisation "very disappointed by the KOI's actions".

Around 1,500 athletes from 130 countries were set to compete in 31 disciplines in 14 sports in what was due to be the second edition of the Games after Doha 2019.

ANOC claims that it met weekly with KOI and "at no point did the KOI indicate there were any issues that would lead to such an outcome".

KOI President Raja Sapta Oktohari admitted last week that they were still waiting for the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports to confirm the funding for the event.

Bali was effectively awarded the Games at the ANOC General Assembly in Crete in October 2021 despite Indonesia being banned from hosting international events. 

This was due to its anti-doping organisation being suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The ban was lifted by WADA in February last year before Bali was officially confirmed as host that June.