U.S. considering joining boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics

[Nevilledog]

Link to tweet

https://www.cnbc.com/2021/04/06/us-considering-joining-boycott-of-2022-beijing-olympics.html

WASHINGTON – The United States and its allies are considering a joint boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the State Department said Tuesday.

“It [a joint boycott] is something that we certainly wish to discuss,” State spokesman Ned Price told reporters when asked about the Biden administration’s plans ahead of the international games.

“A coordinated approach will not only be in our interest but also in the interest of our allies and partners,” he added.

Price said that the United States has not yet made a decision but was concerned about China’s egregious human rights abuses. The Olympic Games are due to take place between Feb. 4 to Feb. 20.

The potential diplomatic boycott of the Olympic Games comes as the Biden administration works to rally allies to mount international pushback on China.

Last month, the United States sanctioned two Chinese officials, citing their roles in serious human rights abuses against ethnic minorities in Xinjiang. The sanctions by the Biden administration complement actions also taken by the European Union, the United Kingdom and Canada.

*snip*

[hlthe2b]

1. Damn. I feel for those athletes... training all those years

[jimfields33]

2. Good. No use celebrating while the host city treats part of their populous

Poorly. President Biden for the win again.

[LanternWaste]

11. Yo man, you seem all over the place in regards to boycotts.

Are you not afraid their populous will suffer as you alleged will happen in regards to the GA boycotts?

If not, what is the specific and relevant ethical difference?

"Frustrating..." indeed.

[jimfields33]

12. Atlanta and Denver are very different places

I can have different outlooks on boycotts. At least it used to be that way. No need to be frustrated. Life’s too short. Just block me.

[Bleacher Creature]

3. There are a lot of amateur athletes who would be crushed by that decision.

It may be the right call, but I do hope people realize that the athletes would be some of the hardest hit by that decision.

[cinematicdiversions]

4. And yet we are going to the World Cup?

Report Reveals More Than 6,500 Migrant Workers Have Died In Qatar's World Cup Prep. NPR's Scott Simon asks Pete Pattisson of The Guardian about his reporting on migrant worker deaths in Qatar, including those who died while constructing venues for FIFA's 2022 World Cup

[rso]

7. RSO

We have not yet officially qualified to go to the World Cup, but I think the Chinese situation is far more compelling regarding human rights violations.

[stillcool]

5. sucks to be an athlete...

[2naSalit]

6. I feel for the athletes but...

The Olympics is so corrupted and should really go on hiatus for a lengthy spell. The resources wasted and the way many countries are at odds and the prospect of something really messed up happening and considering how we need to be focused on cleaning up our act as a species on the planet and put everything we have into it or none of this will be a thing anyway. Might as well close it out in a respectful manner than with tragedy.

[Clash City Rocker]

8. If enough nations got involved, there might be enough time to plan an alternative event elsewhere

In a city that has hosted an Olympics fairly recently and has the facilities for it, that doesn’t have a notorious list of human rights abuse.

[Poiuyt]

9. Should the International Olympic Committee take into consideration a nations politics

when it makes decisions as to which country will host? Or is that putting too much politics into what should be a nonpolitical event?

[tinrobot]

10. The problem is that not too many cities/countries want to host because the IOC is demanding.

For 2022, it came down to Oslo, Almaty (Kazakstan) and Beijing.

Oslo was the frontrunner, but the Norwegian parliament voted against it. From the Wikipedia article:

Public reception to (Oslo's) application for funding had been highly negative due to cost concerns after the cost overruns of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, and especially revelations about a series of hospitality-related demands that had been reportedly made by the IOC. The demands notably included "diva-like demands for luxury treatment" for the IOC members themselves, such as special lanes on all roads only to be used by IOC members and a cocktail reception at the Royal Palace with drinks paid for by the royal family. Several commentators pointed out that such demands were unheard of in a western democracy; Slate described the IOC as a "notoriously ridiculous organization run by grifters and hereditary aristocrats

Thus, it came down to Kazakstan and China. Guess who had more money and more ability to impress the IOC?

[Xolodno]

13. No. Just No.

The only people it hurts are the athletes and the nations that don't boycott get the lion's share of medals.

We're all going to still watch it or at least read about who won. And some athletes, this is there last "go" at it, so you hurt them as well.

Don't like the venue? Blame the IOC which is notorious with corruption. That's where the reform, etc. needs to happen.

And on top of that, with the exception of Los Angeles, think none of them have actually made a profit for the host country. Could be wrong, but wouldn't surprise me, LA just so happens to have all the infrastructure already in place.

[crickets]

14. 👆 This. It was a bad idea when Carter boycotted the Olympics, and it still is today.

The host country does not suffer in this scenario. No one else will join the US in the boycott, everyone else will go, and the only people who really get screwed over are the athletes. It's not fair to them.

[Amishman]

15. Good! China needs to feel pressure from every imaginable angle

They are not our friend.