For months, the American government had been looking for the best way to position itself with regard to the Winter Olympics (OG) which will take place in Beijing in 2022. It finally chose a diplomatic boycott: the United States will not send no diplomatic representatives at the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games due to the “Genocide and crimes against humanity in progress in Xinjiang”, announced the White House Monday, December 6.
By being present, “The American diplomatic representation would treat these Games as if nothing had happened, despite the gross human rights violations and China’s atrocities in Xinjiang. And we just can’t do that ”, argued White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki. Several human rights organizations accuse Beijing of interning at least one million Muslims in Xinjiang in “Re-education camps”.
In the wake of the White House announcement, several American politicians welcomed this boycott. “The last three decades of abuse and repressive acts by Beijing show that the international community can no longer sign him a blank check or hope that his behavior will simply change”, said in a statement the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi. On the Republican side, the elected Michael McCaul said to himself ” happy “ of the Biden administration’s decision.
The athletes will be present
American athletes will participate well in the competitions. “The athletes of Team USA have our full support. We will be 100% behind them while we cheer them on from here ”, said Jen Psaki.
State Department said diplomatic staff would be present in Beijing “To assure our athletes, coaches and those associated with the US Olympic team that they are safe”. Which is “A different subject from official diplomatic representation”, according to its spokesperson, Ned Price.
“The presence of government officials and diplomats is a purely political decision for each government, which the IOC [Comité international olympique], in its political neutrality, fully respects “, a spokesperson for the latter told Agence France-Presse, rejoicing that this decision does not call into question the participation of American athletes.
“China will take firm countermeasures”
Shortly before the official announcement, China warned that it would react if the United States called for a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics. Such a boycott would only be “Swagger”, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Monday. “If the US is determined to do things its own way, China will take strong countermeasures, he added. I insist on the fact that the Winter Olympics are not a stage for taking political postures and manipulating. “
For Sophie Richardson, director for China of the NGO Human Rights Watch, this boycott represents “A crucial step in confronting the Chinese state with its crimes against humanity targeting the Uighurs and the Turkish-speaking populations”. “But that shouldn’t be the only action, she added, however. The United States should now redouble its efforts with focused states to investigate and determine the best avenues for those responsible for these crimes to be held to account and justice for the survivors. “
The American Olympic Committee, for its part, opposed a total boycott, insisting on the importance of the Games after months of pandemic. He has ruled in the past that the boycott of the Moscow Games in 1980 by the United States and some sixty other countries and those of Los Angeles in 1984 by the Soviet Union and its allies had shown that using these events like a “Political tool” was a ” fault “.
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