Image source,Reuters
Macron said that such boycotts have had little effect and only have a symbolic effect.
French President Emmanuel Macron stated that France currently has no plans to participate in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. He said that such boycotts had little effect and only had a symbolic effect.
Previously, the United States, Britain, Canada and Australia stated that they would not send government representatives to the Winter Olympics in February next year, citing concerns about China’s human rights record, including the country’s allegations of abuse against Uighurs and other ethnic minorities.
China stated that countries that boycotted the Winter Olympics “will certainly pay the price for their wrongdoing.”
At the same time, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Antonio Guterres) said that he has accepted the invitation to participate in the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics.
“With little success”
At a press conference on Thursday (December 9), Macron stated that the Olympics should not be politicized and he prefers actions that can produce “effective results.”
“What needs to be clear is: either completely resist it, not sending out athletes, or try to take some useful actions,” he said.
Macron added that France will cooperate with the International Olympic Committee to ensure that athletes’ protection regulations are implemented. The remarks were interpreted as alluding to the Peng Shuai incident.
“I don’t think we should politicize these topics, especially if some symbolic measures with little effect are to be taken,” he said.
Image source,Reuters
The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held in February next year.
French Minister of Education and Sports Jean-Michel Blanquer also warned on Thursday (December 9) not to politicize the Winter Olympics. He told the French media, “We need to be cautious about the connection between sports and politics.”
“Sports is an independent world and it must be protected from political interference. Otherwise, things may get out of control and eventually may kill all games,” he said.
Blanche said that France will continue to condemn China’s human rights violations. He will not go to Beijing, but Roxana Maracineanu, the ministerial representative in charge of sports affairs, will represent the French government.
China warning
The Beijing Winter Olympics will be held from February 4th to 20th next year, but the boycott triggered a split in the international community.
The United States on Monday (December 6) was the first to announce a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that in the face of China’s “serious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang, if American diplomats and official representatives attend these events, they will treat these events as business as usual. This is something we absolutely cannot do. of.”
In addition to the Xinjiang incident, China’s further suppression of political freedom in Hong Kong, and the censorship of tennis player Peng Shuai after accusations of sexual assault by former Chinese senior officials have further intensified the call to boycott the Winter Olympics.
Subsequently, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia also followed up similar diplomatic boycott measures.
New Zealand, which is also a member of the “Five Eyes Alliance”, said that it will not send ministerial representatives to attend. New Zealand stated that it also expressed concern about the human rights situation in China, but this decision was mainly due to the new crown epidemic.
Image source,Getty Images
In response to this, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin responded on Thursday (December 9) that the United States, Britain, Australia, and Canada will “pay” for their wrongdoings, but he has not disclosed countermeasures.
Chinese official media reported that China has not issued any invitations to countries and politicians who have political conspiracies for the Winter Olympics. The so-called boycott is entirely “self-hype and grandstanding.”
“Global Times” editor-in-chief Hu Xijin also joked on Twitter: “According to Chinese standards, most U.S. government officials are close contacts of patients with COVID-19, and they are picky and pretentious. You are the last Beijing residents want to see. People.”
Chen Weihua, the European bureau chief of the official English-language media “China Daily”, called on China to boycott the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Tuesday (December 7) that the country has not yet decided whether to send officials to attend the Winter Olympics, although some lawmakers have called for a boycott due to human rights violations, territorial disputes and China’s provocative behavior in surrounding waters.
Italy stated that it does not intend to join the diplomatic boycott.
Beijing Winter Olympics test match is in full swing, BBC reporters visit the stadium
In addition to the statement made by French President Macron, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian (Jean-Yves Le Drian) stated on Thursday (December 9) that it is necessary for Europe to adopt a common stand on the diplomatic boycott. At present, the new German government is still cautious about the boycott.
Although the Russian team was banned from participating in the Winter Olympics due to the doping scandal in 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has close ties with China, still accepted the invitation to attend. This will be the first foreign head of state to visit China since March 2020.
What is the history of boycotting the Olympics?
Different from the previous boycott of the Olympic Games, the four English-speaking countries announced a diplomatic boycott, that is, they will not send any government or diplomatic officials to participate, but athletes will still compete normally. At present, no athletes from any country have announced the cancellation of participating in the Winter Olympics.
Therefore, some people, including Macron, apparently believe that this kind of resistance is only a symbol, and its practical significance is limited. Especially considering that the ongoing new crown epidemic itself may lead to a decrease in attendance.
In contrast, the two Olympic boycotts in the 1980s were much more intense, directly causing hundreds of athletes to fail to participate in the competition.
Image source,Getty Images
The 1980 Summer Olympics opened at the Central Lenin Stadium.
After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan at the end of 1979, more than 60 countries under the leadership of the US Jimmy Carter government boycotted the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics, including China, which was antagonistic to the Soviet Union at that time.
In 1984, the Soviet Union led 18 countries to boycott the Los Angeles Olympics, which was regarded as an act of revenge.
Earlier, the 1936 Summer Olympics were held in Germany under Nazi rule. At that time, Adolf Hitler’s severe anti-Semitic sentiment triggered threats of resistance from some politicians. But then the president of the U.S. Olympic Committee Avery Brundage (Avery Brundage) opposed the boycott with the argument that politics and sports were separated, and eventually the United States sent a team to participate.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said on Wednesday (December 8): “We welcome them (athletes) to the scene, and we welcome them to receive support from the national government. The rest is politics.”
“The presence of government officials is a purely political decision for governments,” he said.