On 6th November 2021, the United States of America announced the boycott of the 2022 winter Olympics. According to the President Biden administration, the decision of the boycott comes in in light of ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses. The decision was broadly welcomed by rights groups and politicians in the US, where President Joe Biden has been under pressure to decide against Chinese rights abuses. While other countries like the United Kingdom declared that whether they will attend the event or not will be decided later and accordingly announced. Coming just six months after the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Summer Games, the Winter Olympics will be held from February 4 to 20 in a close circle because of COVID-19 restrictions.
In an official statement, the White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated that “the administration would send no diplomatic or official representation to the Games given China’s “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses and sending official representation would signal that the Games were “business as usual.” Further, she added that “The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind 100 per cent as we cheer them on from home.”
The US-China relationship has been strained in recent years over issues including Taiwan, Hong Kong and China’s treatment of the Uighurs. Although in recent times both the President have spoken to each other and assured cooperation but the decision like the above showcase the more deterioration of the relationship. China has rejected the international criticism and sanctions over the situation in Xinjiang, whereas the United Nations and other rights groups believe at least one million Uighurs and members of other mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated. While there has been no reaction or official statement from the Chinese authorities yet, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has declared that it respects the US government’s decision.
