Beijing 2022: the United States announces a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in China – Franceinfo

“This is something that we are considering” Joe Biden, the American president, declared on Thursday, November 18, concerning a possible boycott of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Games. The White House put its threat to execution and made the boycott official since Monday.

The Chinese power had criticized the statements of the American president. UChinese diplomacy spokesperson Zhao Lijian replied the day after Joe Biden’s threats, assuring that “to mix together politics and sport went against the Olympic spirit“.

In fact, the United States will not send any representative diplomatic service at the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. A decision justified by the “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang”, announced the White House.

By being present, “The US 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 simply cannot do that.”, argued White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

Before hosting the Games, China is in turmoil, and not just politically. The case concerning the tennis player Peng Shuai mobilized athletes and authorities. For more than a month, doubts have been hovering over the fate of the Chinese woman, who accused a former senior Chinese leader of sexual assault.

The international community was largely concerned about the silence of the player and her appearances suspected of being staged by the Chinese government. Recently, Steve Simon, the director of the WTA (the professional women’s tennis circuit), announced that no women’s tournament will be held in China in 2022.