President of the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), Morinari Watanabe, visited Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, on Monday (September 8, 2025). Accompanied by the Chairwoman of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation, Ita Yuliati, Watanabe toured Indonesia Arena to review the venue’s readiness to host the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, scheduled for October 19–25, 2025.

Here is a brief interview with Watanabe conducted by the LOC media team during his visit:

Question (Q): What makes Indonesia, particularly Jakarta, so attractive that the International Gymnastics Federation chose it as the host of the 53rd FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships?

Answer (A): I know Okto (President of the Indonesian NOC, Raja Sapta Oktohari) very well, and I also know Mrs. Ita (President of the Indonesian Gymnastics Federation, Ita Yuliati). The federation president is a fantastic person, with passion and power. That is why I asked Indonesia to host the World Championships. And now I know Indonesia has fantastic facilities. But most important is its human resources. I believe in human power, and I believe Indonesia has that human power.

Q: How do you see the preparations so far, especially in terms of the arena infrastructure, athlete facilities, and public support?

A: The facilities Indonesia has are outstanding, world-class. No doubt. Perfect. The organization is also perfect. Everyone is working hard and showing extraordinary effort. I don’t know whether gymnastics is well-known enough in Indonesia. But from this World Championship, I believe it will become much more popular. One day, Indonesia will win a gold medal. This is my dream, and also the dream of Chairwoman Ita.

Q: For the first time, FIG will introduce a legacy program from this sporting event: “‘Reducing social security costs through gymnastics as a countermeasure for an ageing society'.” Could you elaborate more about this program?

A: So far, sports events have focused only on the event itself. But the most important thing is what we can gain after the event. Gymnastics is the foundation of all sports and of life itself, because gymnastics is present from infancy to old age. After the World Championships, I hope people will realize how important gymnastics is. For children, gymnastics can maintain both physical and mental health. Ultimately, gymnastics can extend life expectancy, which means lowering healthcare costs. This is the purpose of holding the World Championships.

Q: What kind of legacy does FIG expect from the 2025 World Championships in Jakarta, both for Indonesia and for the world, in the face of demographic challenges and an aging population?

A: I hope that after the World Championships, people will become more interested in gymnastics. They will start practicing gymnastics every day, becoming healthier and more energetic, without needing to go to the hospital, thereby reducing healthcare costs. This is our goal in organizing this event.