2022 Beijing Winter Olympics Controversy

The 2022 Winter Olympics, held in Beijing from February 4th to 20th, has raised international controversy. In light of the human rights abuses committed by the Chinese Communist Party, many countries and athletes are taking a stand.

These past few years, China has been accused of violating the human rights of the Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. It is believed that over one million Uyghurs have been detained and forced to attend “re-education camps.” There, they have been used as labor, forcibly sterilized, and tortured. Additionally, recent legislation and actions by the Chinese government that restrict the freedoms of Hong Kong have incited international outrage.

In December, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Lithuania, and Kosovo have chosen to diplomatically boycott the Olympic Games. This means that they will send athletes to compete, but no diplomats or state officials will attend.

However, China believes that the boycotts are insignificant. A spokesperson of the Chinese Mission to the United Nations said, "The US just wants to politicize sports, create divisions and provoke confrontation," and that "the success of the Games does not rely on the attendance of a handful of countries' government officials."

Additionally, athletes have been warned to be careful while participating in the Games, as there are concerns that the Chinese government will be surveilling them carefully. Many human rights activists have discouraged Olympic athletes from speaking up against the government or their actions while in Beijing, for their own safety.

Many athletes are frustrated that they will not be able to denounce the human rights violations perpetrated in China. Their platform, as Olympic athletes, is amplified and very well respected, and should be used to help those who are being treated unfairly. However, competing in the heart of China is not the best or safest place to speak out. In fact, athletes were told by human rights and athlete advocacy groups that the International Olympic Committee likely would not protect them if they were to be critical of the Chinese government.