A group of legislators from nations throughout Europe and the United States launched coordinated legislative activities, asking for a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, citing “grave breaches of human rights” by the Chinese government. The goal of this action is to put pressure on governments, elected officials, and heads of state to decline invitations to next year’s Olympics.
Last month, a number of human rights organisations called for a total boycott of the Winter Olympics, claiming that partaking would be “equivalent to sanctioning China’s genocide against the Uyghur people”.
According to a coalition representing Uyghurs, Tibetans, Hong Kong residents, and others, the Chinese government is committing genocide against the Uyghur people and waging an unprecedented campaign of repression in East Turkistan, Tibet, and Southern Mongolia, as well as an all-out assault on democracy in Hong Kong.
Washington maintained its aim to develop a “common approach” with allies on a possible boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics next year, as a rising number of US politicians have called for. “In terms of the Olympics, we’re engaging closely with allies and partners to look at the same concerns we all have and, ideally, to build a shared response,” said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Washington.
In fact, legislation has been drafted by lawmakers from both major US political parties that would penalise firms that agree to sponsor the Beijing Olympics. Another bipartisan bill introduced which called for the 2022 Winter Olympics to be rescheduled unless China’s leadership “ends its ongoing crimes against the Uyghur people.”
The United States is considering India as their possible ally. According to sources, the India Olympic Association is currently not mulling on boycotting the Winter Olympic Games. The US is looking to India as the possible ally as well and seek its support to boycott the games. Sources said that at the moment the IOA is not mulling to boycott the games, but is completely focusing on the Tokyo Summer Olympics. “All focus is on the Tokyo Olympics currently and we will discuss this later on what the US wants from its allies. We are not thinking about the Winter Olympics at this stage,” said one of the top IOA officials. However, China has accused the US of “politicising” sports”. “Politicising sports goes against the spirit of the Olympic Charter and undermines athletes’ interests as well as the international Olympic cause,” said Zhao Lijian, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry. “Relevant parties should immediately stop their use of the Olympic Games to engage in political manipulation,” he added.