Hong Kong: Over 160 human rights organizations around the world have signed a letter addressing to International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, to reverse the decision to hold the 2022 Winter Olympics at Beijing.
The letter cited allegations of widespread rights abuses by the Chinese Government. It said the actions of the Chinese central government in Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet and Inner Mongolia showed the country is unworthy to host the Winter Olympics.
However, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Wednesday (September 9) at a news conference that the letter was attempting to ‘politicise’ sports, a move which is ‘highly opposed’ by the Chinese Government.
“The IOC’s reputation was indelibly tarnished by its mistaken belief that the 2008 (Beijing Summer) Olympics would work to improve China’s human rights record. In reality, the prestige of hosting the Olympic Games merely emboldened the Chinese government’s actions,” the letter read.
“We implore the Committee to reverse its past mistakes and to urgently demonstrate that it has the political will to abide by the Olympic Charter’s core principles about ‘human dignity.’ The IOC must not allow its moral authority to be put in jeopardy again.”
