US watchdog warns over athletes’ safety at Beijing Winter Olympics
A US RIGHTS MONITOR
sounded the alarm Monday (Jan 31) over athletes’ safety at China’s Winter Olympics, after the host threatened “punishment” for anti-Beijing comments.
The CongressionalExecutive Commission on China – a group of Washington lawmakers and White
House officials – asked US Olympics authorities for an “urgent effort” to protect their sports stars’ free speech
rights at the Games which starts today (Feb 4).
The commission spoke out after Yang Shu, a senior official in the Beijing Games
organising committee, told an online briefing on Jan 18 that “any behavior or speech
that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment.”
“Given Yang Shu’s state
ment and the Chinese government’s documented behavior, we urge the USOPC to be vigilant and prepared to defend any Olympians who speak out,” the commission said.
The United States, Australia, Canada and Britain announced in December that they would not be send
ing official representatives to Beijing, citing the alleged genocide and crimes against humanity against the Uyghur population, a minority Muslim group in the Xinjiang region.
The countries said their athletes would still participate, but China nevertheless
responded angrily, warning Western nations that they would “pay the price” for the protest.
Advocacy groups have backed the boycott, with
Human Rights Watch (HRW)
China director Sophie Rich
ardson calling it a “crucial step toward challenging the Chinese government’s crimes
against humanity targeting Uyghurs and other Turkic communities.”
The commission also voiced concerns over Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who made sexual assault allegations against a top Communist Party official.
Peng was not heard from
for nearly three weeks, and there remain concerns about
how free she really is.
New York-based HRW awarded China a “gold medal
for censorship” last week, in a statement accusing the Asian giant of trying to “sportswash" its "abysmal human rights record.”
Asked whether President Joe Biden supports US athletes making political statements at the Olympics, White House Press Secretary
Jen Psaki told reporters the administration had “conveyed support for freedom of speech of individuals.”