The United States wants to boycott China without sending government officials during the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. U.S. President Joe Biden, according to sources, says CNN I announce this week.

The United States is deeply concerned about China’s human rights record. According to the US government, diplomatic boycott is a great way to send a clear message to China without hurting American athletes. So athletes can compete for medals in China, while government officials have to stay home.

Ignore 1980

This is not the first time the United States has used the Olympics as a means of ignoring another country. During the 1980 Games in Moscow, the United States did not send any athletes from the Soviet Union.

The background to the boycott at the time was to ensure that the Russians withdrew troops from Afghanistan. Undeterred, then-President Jimmy Carter decided not to send athletes to the Olympics. With the exception of the United States, 55 countries do not participate in sports, and some support boycotts, for some other (economic) reason. The Netherlands participated, but boycotted the opening ceremony.

‘That’s not right’

So the boycott of the 1980s was considerably harder than it is now. According to sports journalist and editor-in-chief of Heldon Magazine, “it’s good to allow athletes to exercise.” Because they did not choose it. “But it’s not true that we’re allocating such important competition to regimes like this,” Barand says on Good Morning Netherlands in the NPO 1. “We’ve going to play football in Qatar, we’ve racing in Saudi Arabia. Now with games.”

As a former foreign secretary, Yuri Rosenthal now acknowledges the problem facing Biden. “When I was a minister, it’s about football in Eastern Europe (EC in Ukraine and Poland, ed.). , Rosenthal explains. “Then you come to fit and measure.”

‘They promise they will get better, but it will never happen’

It is unknown at this time what he will do after leaving the post. But Rosenthal says the decision not to send government officials is “too big.” “In the end, I wonder why you allowed athletes for the glory of the country.”

According to Barand, these types of countries organize a big sporting event to “show how good they are”. “Then they promise to heal, but it doesn’t really happen.” And Rosenthal agrees. “It is a pure illusion to think that by organizing something big, China will promote human rights a little better.”

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Source: Wick Ten Vault