Choice of flame girl attacked
BY
OLYMPIC bosses have defended China’s decision to use a Uyghur athlete to light the flame at Friday’s opening ceremony.
The World Uyghur Congress condemned it as “propaganda” by a government accused of genocide against the Uyghur people.
Dinigeer Yilamujiang is only 20 and was thrust into the spotlight just hours before her crosscountry ski race in which she finished 43rd.
But Mark Adams, spokesman for the International Olympic Committee, said: “I think it was a lovely concept.
“She is an Olympian competing here.
“We do not discriminate against people on where they are from and what their background is.”
But Rahima Mahmut, director of the World Uyghur Congress, said: “It was propaganda.
“They [China] want to give their best image to the world and to discredit survivors and organisations like ours who want to tell the world about the genocide.
“They want people to believe them, to sportwash what they are doing.”