Already a controversy! Barely 24 hours after the start of the Paralympic Games in Beijing – from March 4 to 13 – the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) announced on Saturday that it had called Chinese state television CCTV to account. The latter would have boycotted – in part – the speech of Andrew Parsons, president of the CIP, during the opening ceremony of the competition.
In an anxiety-provoking context following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Andrew Parsons began his remarks on Friday with a reference to the conflict. “The 21st century is made for dialogue and diplomacy, not for war and hatred,” he said in English in the Olympic stadium in the Chinese capital. The Olympic Truce for Peace during the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a UN resolution adopted by consensus by 193 Member States during the 76th UN General Assembly. It must be respected and observed, not violated. “A committed speech that he had concluded with a cry from the heart in the name of” peace “.
But during the CCTV retransmission, the CIP chairman’s speech was mysteriously muted. Instead, the presenter only offered a very watered-down version as a Chinese translation, a far cry from what Parsons said.
“It’s been 24 hours, we are still waiting for a response”
“We are aware of the press reports (referring to the situation) and have asked CCTV for an explanation,” CIP spokesman Craig Spence told AFP on Saturday. It’s been 24 hours and we’re still waiting for a response. »
China, a friendly country of Russia, with which it has strengthened its diplomatic and strategic ties in recent years against the West, is hampered by the war in Ukraine. In order not to offend Moscow, it does not however condemn the invasion and does not encourage the Chinese to express their solidarity with the Ukrainians. But she also does not openly support Russia so as not to appear to validate military aggression. According to some sources, Russia had waited until the end of the Winter Games in Beijing to invade Ukraine.
Another sign of this position in the media: the Chinese broadcasters of the English Premier League football will not offer matches this weekend, several testimonies of support for Ukraine being planned by the clubs and their players.
The IPC first authorized Russian and Belarusian athletes this week to participate in the Paralympic Games in Beijing, before reversing its decision under pressure from many national committees.
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