Australia to Stage Diplomatic Boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

[mahatmakanejeeves]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by Omaha Steve (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: The Wall Street Journal.

WORLD

Australia to Stage Diplomatic Boycott of 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

U.S. ally’s decision comes after White House said it wouldn’t send officials to the Games

By Rhiannon Hoyle
https://twitter.com/RhiannonHoyle
[e-mail]
Updated Dec. 7, 2021 11:06 pm ET

ADELAIDE, Australia—Australia announced a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, joining the U.S. in forgoing official representation at the coming event in the latest show of strained tensions between Australia and China.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Wednesday said Australian government officials wouldn’t attend the Games, citing discord between the countries as well as China’s campaign of forcible assimilation against religious minorities in the country’s northwestern region of Xinjiang.

“I’m doing it because it’s in Australia’s national interest; it’s the right thing to do, full stop,” said Mr. Morrison.

The Chinese Embassy in Canberra said the decision runs counter to Australia’s stated aim of improving relations between the two countries. They were frayed by Mr. Morrison’s call last year for an international investigation into the first outbreak of Covid-19, in central China.

{snip}

—Peter Landers in Tokyo and Timothy Martin in Seoul contributed to this article.

Write to Rhiannon Hoyle at [e-mail]

Read more: https://www.wsj.com/articles/australia-to-stage-diplomatic-boycott-of-2022-winter-olympics-in-beijing-11638920014

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Australia is joining the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

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[Ford_Prefect]

1. Let me get this right, The Diplomats won't be going but the teams will be?

If that's the deal it is pointless and absurd. Too much F**king sponsorship money tied up in this for them to do the right thing, IMO.

If one man standing in front of a tank and refusing to let it move had so much meaning surely the rights denied of one woman athlete to be heard and delivered justice for sexual assault has enough significance in conveying the threat to all women traveling to and performing in China during the Olympic games.

It may seem proportional to some Diplomats and may figure meaningfully in their arcane calculous. To me its weak sauce at best and looks like weakness in the eyes of the world. We still do not know how she and her family are being treated or threatened, and I suspect we can expect the same thing could happen to any women athlete or trainer at the games.

[Tommymac]

2. Because it's a woman and not a man.

Hate to say it but misogyny and male privilege is still very much a thing globally.

Plus there is no attention getting photograph for the world wide Corporate Media to use to drum up ratings so as far as they are concerned the tennis star's plight is really a non event. - doesn't resonate with the ratings game.

Very sad and wrong.

Welcome to the 21st Century.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Article says updated Dec. 7. Not Late Breaking News

[Jacson6]

4. Why don't they just send the diplomats to boo?

Both of them are a meaningless gesture!

[Omaha Steve]

5. After a review by forum hosts....LOCKING

Original story is way over 12 hours old when posted: Updated Dec. 7, 2021 11:06 pm ET

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