The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has commented on the White House’s statement on the refusal of the American leadership to attend the Beijing Olympics, Match TV reports.
IOC representatives clarified that they respect Washington’s decision. The organization explained that the presence or absence of government officials and diplomats at the Games is a private matter for each country. On the issue of the diplomatic boycott of the Olympics, the IOC decided to maintain political neutrality.
The refusal of American politicians to go to the Olympics on Monday, December 6, said the press secretary of the US President Jen Psaki. At the same time, American athletes will be able to independently decide on participation in international competitions.
Psaki clarified that members of the US national team can be confident in the full support of the authorities.
A White House spokeswoman assured that Washington did not discuss its decision with the allies and gives them the opportunity to decide for themselves whether to participate or not to participate in events in China.
The US informed other countries of its plans.
Following the United States, Canada began to think about boycotting the Beijing Olympics, said Canadian Foreign Ministry spokesman Christelle Chartran. According to her, the American side notified them of the boycott of the Games, after which Ottawa also began to work on this issue. The country’s foreign ministries have expressed concern about alarming reports of human rights abuses in China.
According to Dmitry Solonnikov, a political scientist and director of the Institute of Contemporary State Development, other states will want to boycott the Games after the United States.
He explained that world sports events have repeatedly become a place where states “measured the size of their ideological ambitions.”
The expert clarified that the host country of the Games always strives to invite as many guests as possible to a global event. In addition to sports, projects at various levels can be discussed.
It is also a chance to showcase your image in international circles.
Earlier, politicians from Canada, Norway, the United States, as well as representatives of almost 200 human rights organizations, made a call to boycott the Games in China. The reason for the dissatisfaction was the “massive repression” in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China.
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