The 2023 World Beach Games scheduled for August have been cancelled by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) after Indonesia withdrew from its duties as host nation, giving ANOC insufficient time to find an alternative.
The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) cited funding delays and sponsorship withdrawals as its main reason for backing out as hosts of the second edition of the World Beach Games.
“It is with great surprise and extreme disappointment that ANOC has learnt that the Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) has withdrawn from its commitment to host the ANOC World Beach Games and the ANOC General Assembly in August 2023,” it said on Tuesday via a statement on its website.
“ANOC sincerely apologizes to the NOCs, athletes, and international federations who have partnered and committed to this event, as well as to fans around the world.”
The shocking withdrawal from their hosting duties marks the second time this year that the Asian nation has lost out on hosting another major sporting event after the world football governing body FIFA stripped them of the right to host the Under-20 World Cup due to political issues surrounding Israel’s participation in the tournament.
Raja Sapta Oktohari, the chairman of the KOI, said the country’s government had agreed to finance the games, but the approval process for the budget was taking too long and therefore became complicated, leaving them with just under a month before the commencement of the event.
Oktohari further revealed that the situation was worsened by some sponsors pulling out of their commitments, forcing the committee to carry all the financial burden by itself. He also said the decision was important to protect Indonesia’s reputation as a host of world-class sporting events.
“We apologize profusely to ANOC and the international federations, athletes and all NOCs who have fought since the qualification process,” Oktohari said in a statement. “We also thank everyone who has worked hard during the preparation period.”
“Of course, there are consequences. We are still communicating,” he said.
Bali, one of Indonesia’s finest provinces, was slated to play host to the second edition of the World Beach Games, which include 14 sports like beach soccer, beach volleyball, and surfing, from August 5–12, with more than 1,000 athletes from 206 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) expected.
The inaugural edition of the Games was first held in Doha, Qatar, in 2019 with the aim of placing the spotlight on sports that are not “traditionally popular,” like surfing, skateboarding, and beach soccer.
Indonesia was chosen as the host of this year’s Games in October 2021 after the city of San Diego in California withdrew in 2019 due to financial issues.
The games were supposed to be followed by the ANOC General Assembly from August 13–15. ANOC will make a decision in the coming weeks in regards to a new location and dates.
