On December 6th, the Biden Administration announced a political boycott of the Beijing ‘22 Winter Olympics. Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that the United States would not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Games because of the Chinese government’s, “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.”
Following the announcement, Canada, Great Britain, and Australia also announced political boycotts of the Beijing Olympics.
Unlike the American boycott of the 1980 Olympics or the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Olympics, athletes from the boycotting nations will still compete in Beijing.
IOC President Thomas Bach stated in an online news conference that the “presence of government officials is a purely political decision…the principle of the political neutrality of the IOC applies”. Bach also said that the Olympics are “about and for the athletes”.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry has promised “firm countermeasures”, but Press Secretary Psaki could not identify what the Chinese government’s intentions could be with regards to these countermeasures.
In his press conference, Bach emphasized the importance of the political neutrality of the IOC. He said that taking a side in the dispute would, “be the politicization of the Olympics Games” which “could be the end of the Olympic Games, as it was the end of the ancient Olympic Games when politics got involved.”
Historians place blame for the end of the ancient Olympics on Roman Emperor Theodosius I, whose code placed prohibitions on pagan practices and led to the downfall of the Games.
While most sporting organizations have tried to toe a neutral line on China, the Women’s Tennis Association and International Tennis Federation have both withdrawn from the country, at least in the short term, over concerns for the treatment of star player Peng Shuai. Shuai accused the country’s former vice premier of sexual assault, which led to concern over her well-being. Two reported video calls between Peng and IOC president Thomas Bach on November 21 and December 1 are among the few public appearances Peng has made since making her accusation, which has left many concerned for her safety.
Bach Bach Bach Bach Bach
After the peng shuai incident, every sports governing body should withdraw from China.
IOC does nothing for human rights when money is involved .. China pays off everyone
Same response in the summer of 1936…
Weak.
What does “neutral” on genocide and crimes against humanity even mean?
complacent… he remains complacent
Exactly! By staying “neutral” (not even acknowledging the genocide) you are communicating that you don’t even care that it is happening. Genocide is not “political”, it is a crime against humanity.
They stand to make a lot of money from China is what it means
It means we’re too busy stacking Benjamins to care about pesky things like genocide, slave labor, oppression of human rights, etc.
Shocker! 🙄
Yep…just when we thought the IOC could stoop no lower…horrendous.