JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia will block Israeli athletes from competing at the upcoming gymnastics world championships in Jakarta, a government official said Thursday.

The decision to deny visas to the Israeli athletes comes after their planned participation had sparked intense opposition in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation, which has long been a staunch supporter of Palestinians.

Israel is among 86 countries registered to compete at the worlds that start in Jakarta on Oct. 19, with a team highlighted by 2020 Olympic gold medalist and defending world champion Artem Dolgopyat in the men’s floor exercise.

Now its participation is in doubt, even though the Israeli Gymnastics Federation said in July that it had been assured by Indonesian officials that it would be wel

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