A woman poses for a photo with a statue of the Winter Olympic mascot Bing Dwen Dwen near the Olympic Green in Beijing on Jan. 12, 2022.
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
The Olympics, and all “mega sports,” are inevitably embedded in the political contexts of their times. To dismiss or bypass the political issues that arise seems naïve at best.
After President Joe Biden called for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Olympics, other countries are following suit.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Boris Minkevich
As long as athletes stand witness to the Olympic flame in Beijing and compete in the games, complacency will overshadow any message of condemnation.
Activists wearing masks of IOC President Thomas Bach and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose in front of the Olympic Rings during a street protest in India against the holding of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
(AP Photo/Ashwini Bhatia)
Olympic broadcasters can help Canadians support the Uyghurs, Tibetans, pro-democracy advocates and others fighting for their human rights in China by cancelling their Olympic coverage.
Attendees wearing face masks to protect against the spread of the coronavirus look at an exhibit at a visitors center at the Winter Olympic venues in Beijing in February. Human rights groups have called for a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics due to reported human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in China.
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Instead of boycotting the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing, activists should pressure the IOC to let anyone attending the Games to express their views on China without fear of penalization.
There are mounting calls for a boycott of next year’s Winter Olympics in Beijing.
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
While governments and some athletes are opposed to a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, failing to take a stand against China’s human rights record has consequences.