The White House doesn’t know anything. Says at least spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Yes, she also read about the rumors of a US boycott of the 2022 Winter Games. But no, she could not announce any news “or a change in the approach to the Olympic Games in Beijing”. Psaki wiped the scenario that the President of the Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, fears most from the table for the time being, but the discussions about the controversial mega-event in China have not stopped. This Thursday in a year, on February 4, 2022, the Winter Games are to be opened in Beijing. The corona pandemic and, above all, the actions of the Chinese government against the Muslim Uyghur minority are already robbing the anticipation of the medal fights on snow and ice.
Rumors from diplomatic circles
Boycott considerations by the US government around President Joe Biden, about which “Wirtschaftswoche” claims to have heard from diplomatic circles, caused further unrest around the cut-off date. When asked, an IOC spokesman said that speculation would not be commented on. The top Olympian had previously tried to spread confidence. “We can already say a year in advance that all the competition venues are ready, the preparations are excellent,” said Bach in an interview with the state news agency Xinhua. It is “almost a miracle” that the preparations went so smoothly despite the pandemic.
This may be true with regard to the stadiums and jumps, but criticism of the hosts is increasing. “The 2022 Games will take place under human rights conditions that are significantly worse than the 2008 Games in Beijing,” wrote the human rights organization Human Rights Watch in an open letter to Bach in December. On Wednesday, a coalition of 180 activist groups followed suit and called on all heads of state and government to boycott.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted immediately and described the “politically motivated” calls as “irresponsible”. The Games, which for the first time will also be the Winter Olympics in a city after the Summer Games, will be a “wonderful and outstanding event”. A boycott, as Wang Wenbin, spokesman for the ministry is certain, “is not supported by the international community.” But the pressure on the international community will grow.
More than a million people in camps
According to human rights organizations and researchers, at least one million Uyghurs and other Muslims are imprisoned in camps in Xinjiang Province. They are therefore forced to give up their religion, culture and language and in some cases are also mistreated. US President Biden had spoken of “genocide” before his election. With these allegations, the problems emanating from the corona pandemic are almost of secondary importance. The global vaccination program should be well advanced by the winter games, at least further than the wobbly summer games in Tokyo.
But the uncertainty remains. In mid-January, a source of infection in Hebei Province, where some Olympic decisions are to take place, made headlines. Authorities cordoned off three cities with over a million inhabitants. The Beijing organizers are now also looking to Tokyo. It will be observed carefully what measures are being taken there. A year before the planned opening ceremony in Beijing, preparations are probably not going as smoothly as Thomas Bach would like them to be. SID / nd
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