Syrian Olympic Committee supports China’s hosting of the 2022 Winter Olympic

DAMASCUS, DEC.2 (ST)- The Syrian Olympic Committee has announced its support for China in confronting the United States’ blackmail which targets the  2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing. 

 

The committee said in a statement released on Thursday : “By the time the Chinese preparations for hosting the 2022 Winter Olympic are almost finished, the US president recently declared that he is weighing a US diplomatic boycott of the Olympic games due to be held in Beijing under the pretext of China’s Violations of human rights.”

 

It added that some US’s allied governments supported the US stance to blackmail China. 

 

The committee  called on the International Olympic Committee to adopt clear  stances towards the US step and to respect the slogan of the forthcoming Olympic “ Together for a Shared Future” , referring to the fact that one of the main principles of the Olympic charter provides for “political neutrality” . 

 

In this context, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng told US business executives in a recent conference to “make a positive contribution” to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, set to open on February 4.

 

“Boycotting the Olympics for political reasons harms the interests of athletes, violates the shared ideals and aspirations of the international society, and is unpopular,” said Xie.

 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed the Games were not dependent on the attendance of some politicians.

“The Beijing Winter Olympics are a gathering of winter sports lovers and athletes across the world, not a stage for political posturing and manipulation,” Wang said earlier this week.

 

It is not yet clear how many heads of state will attend the Games.  

 

Basma Qaddour