I usually try and start with something other than the boycott news, but there’s been a marked change in the conversation this week – namely that the counter narrative from Beijing has begun. Global Times editor Hu Xijin tested the waters a week ago, with the threat that foreign countries would be punished if they boycotted the Games. He’s no longer the sole voice, with plenty of opportunities for interviews provided by the ongoing Two Sessions, China’s most important annual political meetings – the NPC and CPPCC.
Weekly Roundup
- Counter attacks from Beijing
- Boycott threats from around the world
- Paralympics 1 year to go
- Chengdu Olympic hopes dashed
- Other features and stories in the build-up to 2022
Beijing’s Counter Attacks
Well known Chinese short track speed skater Yang Yang and former IOC member said this week that “some overseas politicians’ politicization of sports will undoubtedly hurt athletes who have worked for their dreams for years.” Yang, who chairs the athletes’ committee of the Beijing Organizing Committee for 2022 and is also a member of the CPPCC, continued, saying “judging from history, similar practices in the past have never completed their selfish and narrow-minded political goals. The idea of politicizing sports again is naive and pointless. Boycotting the Olympics will only harm the athletes, especially the athletes from the countries which might decide to boycott.” She ended with this zinger: “Meanwhile, such acts will also hurt those who love and believe in sports, including children, as they need role models.”
Meanwhile, this 52-word epic from Xinhua simply quoted CPPCC spokesperson Guo Weimin saying:
Attempts to politicize sports games and disturb and sabotage the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics are futile and doomed to fail.
The Global Times English edition has been rolling out some opinion pieces, such as US’ partisan bickering causing noise over boycotting Beijing Winter Olympics, but this is all targeted at an international audience. Don’t expect the Chinese-language media to discuss the threat of a boycott, except in passing.
Boycott Watch
The counter narrative from Beijing comes as countries around the world step up their criticism of China – and there’s been a LOT this week.
In the US, former UN Ambassador and possible 2024 US Presidential candidate Nikki Haley categorically stated “We must boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in China.” Meanwhile, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said, “There hasn’t been a final decision made” – leaving the door open on a boycott a month after saying it wasn’t on the table – although she said the administration “would look for guidance from the U.S. Olympic Committee,” which is openly against a boycott. Elsewhere, yet another Congressman – this time Republican Guy Reschenthaler – wants the 2022 Olympics boycotted or moved out of China. See also: Will Olympics ignore China’s escalating human rights abuses ahead of 2022 games? [LA Times], Beijing Olympics ‘up in the air’ due to COVID-19, China’s ‘genocide’ of Uighurs [Salt Lake Tribune], China will host the 2022 Winter Olympics while accused of genocide. Should the world boycott? [Yahoo Sports], Biden Mulls Beijing Olympic Boycott, Would Doom San Diego Medal Favorites White, Humphries [Times of San Diego]
In Europe, the Dutch parliament followed Canada in accusing China of genocide in Xinjiang, with a separate push there to relocate the Olympics. In the UK, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rejected a boycott call proposed by fellow politicians, but the Times newspaper hit out with We can’t fall for China’s propaganda Olympics, while the Guardian published Boycott questions over Beijing Winter Olympics raise eerie echoes of 1936. Meanwhile, here’s the latest in a raft of pieces on geopolitical concerns for Olympic sponsors: Rights groups target sponsors like Airbnb for Beijing Games [AP]
Paralympics 1 Year To Go
On March 4, a special Beijing 2022 aircraft with a 2022 Paralympic Winter Games livery took to the skies to mark the One Year to Go
countdown to the Paralympics and flew onto Changchun in the northeast of the country. Sadly for the organizers, the pollution was pretty bad in Beijing all this week, meaning that the desired picture (see above) didn’t quite come out as planned. There was also an accompanying ceremony, though that appeared to be mostly about Air China rather than celebrating any actual Paralympic athletes.
I’ve combed through the press release for anything of interest so that you don’t have to – believe me, you don’t want to (more of that another time…) – and I’ve got this. According to Zhang Haidi, President of the China Disabled Persons’ Federation, the number of winter Paralympic athletes in China has increased from 50 to more than 1,000. China only had 26 Paralympians compete in Pyeongchang in 2018, where China won a solitary gold medal, so expect a massive uptick in medals on home soil. See also: Counting down to glory [China Daily]
Brisbane Bounces Chengdu
Brisbane was announced as the IOC’s preferred host for the 2032 Olympics, presented as a way to save costs and streamline the bidding process, but in reality a classic IOC stealth move that lacks transparency. Did we really need a decision 11 years out? Who else is – or, now, was – under consideration? Glad you asked, because it’s a chance to wheel out this piece on Olympic pandas, which admittedly first discussed a bid from Chengdu for 2036, not 2032, but that appeared to be later moved up, although it wasn’t in the end anything more than an exploratory proposal.
It might seem strange to be talking about a third Chinese Olympics before we’ve even had a second, but the country would be keen to host another Summer edition, with 2036 still a possibility. Brisbane’s 2032 claim may hinder that, preventing a subsequent bid from the Asia Pacific region. Then again, we’re having three consecutive Asian Olympics in Pyeongchang, Tokyo and Beijing, so perhaps the IOC won’t have any other options. See also: The IOC thought they could steal the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and hoped we wouldn’t notice [Games Bids], Wei cools talk of Chengdu and Chongqing bid for 2032 Olympics [Insidethe games], The Olympic Games are heading to…Chengdu? [China Sports Insider]
Other Stories and Links
- Overseas snow sports industry eyes the untapped China market opportunity brought by the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics [Global Times]
- Winter sports development sets hot pace [China Daily]
- Alpine Skiers Cautiously Look Ahead to Beijing 2022 [Around the Rings]
- Seniors still pining for the puck [China Daily]
- US snowboarder Langland pins hopes on Olympic podium at Beijing 2022 [Xinhua]
- MEDITATION AND ALTER EGO ANNA THE KEY FOR TRAILBLAZER BINEY [Olympic.org]
See also:
- 49 Weeks To Go: Testing, Testing, Testing
- 50 Weeks To Go: Corporate Conundrums & Olympic Agendas
- 51 Weeks To Go: Boycotts & Hockey Fights
- Safe and Simple: Beijing 2022’s Message with 1 Year To Go
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