Bali Governor Wayan Koster (left) poses with newly installed Youth and Sports Minister Dito Ariotedjo (center) and Indonesian Olympics Committee (KOI) chairman Raja Sapta Oktohari on April 13, 2023. (The Jakarta Post/kemenpora.go.id)
B
ali Governor Wayan Koster claimed on Wednesday that he had not been briefed by the Youth and Sports Ministry or the Indonesian Olympics Committee (KOI) on the cancellation of the World Beach Games, which had been scheduled to be held on the resort island in August.
Koster also declined to comment on what steps the Bali administration would take in response to the decision.
"Ask the organizing committee, don't ask me. I have no idea about it," Koster said, as quoted by Kompas.
The 2023 Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) issued a statement on Wednesday saying the World Beach Games in Bali had been cancelled because the Indonesian government had withdrawn as host without giving the ANOC enough time to find an alternative.
Bali was set to host the second edition of the World Beach Games, which consist of 14 sporting events, including beach soccer, beach volleyball and surfing. Doha hosted the inaugural edition in 2019.
The ANOC said the KOI had informed it that the Indonesian government had not released the budget funds for the sporting event.
Koster had been blamed for the cancelation of the U-20 FIFA World Cup, which was to be held in Indonesia in May.
