Peking Olymp. Spiele Olympic Nicht-Anwesende infographic
Grafik zeigt die Region Xinjiang und listet der Zahl der zu den Olympischen Spielen nicht erschienenen Staaatschefs nach Ländern auf.
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POLITIK

Nur wenige Staatschefs kommen nach Peking zu den Spielen

By Duncan Mil

February 3, 2022 - Ein diplomatischer Boykott der Olympischen Spiele in Peking wegen Chinas Menschenrechtsbilanz und Angst vor Coronavirus hat die Zahl der Staatschefs, die sonst zu den Spielen gekommen wären, arg reduziert.

As the Olympic Games formally open at Beijing’s National Stadium Friday (February 4), the International Olympic Committee finds itself the target of unprecedented criticism. Athletes, human rights groups and multiple nations accuse the IOC of being complicit with the Chinese government in suppressing human rights.

In the past four years, Beijing has eliminated democratic rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and threatened to invade Taiwan. China has punished ethnic minorities in Tibet and reportedly detained as many as a million Uyghurs and other Muslims in its crackdown in Xinjiang. The Chinese Communist Party denies these accusations, but multiple countries, including the U.S., have accused the government of genocide.

In announcing the United States’ diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Games, White House press secretary Jen Psaki recently cited China’s “ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses.” Leaders of 18 nations are now taking part in the diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

“For the Chinese, obviously, they’re not happy,” says Lisa Neirotti, a professor of sport management at George Washington University. “They’d rather have no boycott, whether it’s diplomatic or not. But in the end it’s not really going to harm their Olympic Games.”

Among those attending the Games are President Vladimir Putin of Russia; President Andrzej Duda of Poland; Prime Minister Imran Khan of Pakistan and Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 04/02/2022; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Getty Images
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