IOC should encourage China to abide by Olympic Charter and end human rights abuses
February 2, 2022
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The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will take place from February 4 to February 20. Human rights abuses by the Chinese government in Hong Kong and the Uyghur Autonomous Region go against the Olympic Charter’s fundamental principles upholding human dignity. Amid growing global criticism, this Winter Olympics will become an unusual Olympics as some western nations and Japan decided not to send government representatives to official ceremonies.
The Olympic Charter states that the purpose of the Olympic Games is “to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of humankind, with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.” It also states that “the rights and freedoms outlined in the Olympic Charter should be enjoyed securely without discrimination of any kind.”
In this regard, there is a problem that cannot be overlooked. The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Winter Games on January 19 published a policy of punishing Olympic athletes’ remarks and behaviors that violate Chinese laws and regulations. Recently, more and more athletes in the United States in particular have been expressing their protest against racism by such means as making a symbolic “taking a knee” gesture. The Beijing organizing committee’s policy referring to possible punishment due to the recently introduced legislation may cause a chilling effect on athletes’ expressing political views.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allows athletes’ anti-discrimination demonstrations under certain conditions. The Olympic Charter prohibits all forms of discrimination. The IOC and the Chinese authorities should comply with this code and guarantee Olympic athletes their right to freedom of expression, including their advocacy of human rights.
The IOC’s stance to remain silent on China’s human rights abuses harms Olympic values. The IOC should return to the fundamental principles of Olympism stated in the Olympic Charter, such as the respect for human rights, and should call on the government of China, as the host nation, to abide by the Olympic Charter and end human rights abuses.
Past related article:
> JCP Shii urges China to end human rights oppression and abide by Olympic Charter [December 14, 2021]
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