ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg has dismissed Bali Governor Wayan Koster’s opposition to Israel’s participation at the World Beach Games as "noise in the media" ©ONOC/YouTube

Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) secretary general Gunilla Lindberg has dismissed Bali Governor Wayan Koster’s opposition to Israel’s participation at the World Beach Games as "noise in the media" as she expects Indonesian officials to stick to its agreement to allow all countries to compete.

Koster last week reiterated his objections to Israel competing in the Games, scheduled to take place from August 5 to 12 in Bali.

His stance has raised fears among some Indonesian officials that it could lead to the country being stripped of another major sporting event.

FIFA removed its men’s Under-20 World Cup from Indonesia over local objections to Israel taking part and Koster is refusing to back down on his opposition to them featuring at the World Beach Games.

But Lindberg insisted preparations for the World Beach Games were continuing as planned after being boosted by comments made by Indonesia’s new Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo who welcomed the participation of all nations.

"There is a lot of noise among the politicians in Indonesia," said Lindberg during the Oceania National Olympic Committees General Assembly in Brisbane.

There are fears Bali could be stripped of the ANOC World Beach Games over local objections to the participation of Israeli athletes ©Getty Images
There are fears Bali could be stripped of the ANOC World Beach Games over local objections to the participation of Israeli athletes ©Getty Images

"It is their Presidential elections in six months.

"They have a new Sports Minister and he has gone out saying that everybody who has qualified is welcome and so has the President of the country [said that].

"This Governor made noise in the media but so far we have not been approached at all so we continue to prepare as if nothing is happening and hopefully nothing is happening.

"They have signed an MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] that all qualified countries are welcome to the Games so if we hear something we will of course inform people but we felt very much assured when the new Sports Minister who was the Chef de Mission for the Youth [Olympic] Games in Buenos Aires openly made statements and we haven’t heard anything since."

More than 1,500 athletes from over 100 countries are expected to compete across 14 sports at the World Beach Games in August.

Bali is also set to stage the ANOC General Assembly from August 13 to 15 where the Olympic Committee of Israel is due to be present.

ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg has stressed that Indonesian officials signed an agreement to ensure all qualified countries will be allowed to participate in Bali ©ANOC
ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg has stressed that Indonesian officials signed an agreement to ensure all qualified countries will be allowed to participate in Bali ©ANOC

A Ministerial statement quoted Koster providing his "full support" to the World Beach Games, but the Governor has since denied the statement.

Koster claimed that the Indonesian Constitution meant that "the 2023 World Beach Games in Bali should be held without the Israeli team".

Indonesia is the world's most populous Muslim-majority nation, a supporter of the Palestinian cause and does not have formal diplomatic relations with Israel.

Bali was awarded the second edition of the ANOC World Beach Games in June last year.

Doha in Qatar hosted the first-ever Games in 2019.

The city had to step in at short notice after San Diego in the United States pulled out.