The politicization of the Olympics will harm the global sports movement, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Friday when commenting on a possible diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States.
“The 2022 Winter Olympic Games and the Paralympic Games in Beijing are the stages for athletes from all over the world, and they are the real protagonists of the upcoming Games. Any politicization of sport violates the Olympic spirit and harms the interests of athletes of all countries,” the spokesman said.
On Thursday, US President Joe Biden said that he was considering a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Games in protest against alleged human rights abuses in Xinjiang by the Chinese government.
However, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee opposed calls by human rights groups making accusations against China to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
