Earlier this month Johannes Høsflot Klæbo stepped out and said he wanted sports leaders to take a clearer stance on the human rights situation in Beijing ahead of the next Winter Olympics.
Sports president Berit Kjøll takes a different view from the cross-country star.
– I think my voice has been very clear the whole time, Kjøll told NRK.
– I feel that the fact that we strongly dissociate ourselves from violations of human rights, equality and inclusion, in events such as the Olympics and the PL (Paralympics, journ.anm.) , is a clear position that we are taking.
– Little help
Klæbo told NRK that he has made it clear internally that he wants more clarity. At the same time, he praised the Football Association for their clear stance in the celebrations against World Cup host Qatar.
Several other founders of the elite team have also expressed the wish that the sports leaders stand out more and take more responsibility.
They find that both the Norwegian Ski Association and the Olympic Summit allow athletes to mean something themselves, not that they share a common message.
It’s possible Kjøll thinks she was clear, but that doesn’t help as long as the people involved, in this case the athletes, are about to have the same feeling, the NRK sports commentator said, Jan Petter Saltvedt.
SEARCH OPINION: Saltvedt believes athletes have only now received a clear signal.
Photo credit: Alem Zebiz / NRK
– They asked the Norwegian sports management for signals, but it was only now that they really understood it. When Kjøll also said that she would not give the Olympics to China today, that was the kind of signals that were asked for and a very long step in the right direction.
When asked if China shouldn’t have future championships if they continue to be what they are today, Kjøll’s response was:
– No, I really think so.
– The responsibility of the authorities
Kjøll says they want practitioners to use their freedom of speech and have a clear voice. Since they want to express themselves.
– Our job is to educate and make sure that everyone has a clear and in-depth idea of the challenges of the country you come to. China too, says Kjøll.
– Why is it not their job to do something about the human rights situation in China?
– This work is first and foremost the responsibility of the government. We play sports and we will play sports. But through major sporting events such as the Olympic Games and the PL, it will also be possible to clarify and make visible a voice that we are now actively using.
– What changes have you proposed?
– Concretely, the most important change, which I personally proposed, is good governance in the whole movement of the European Olympic Committee.
– But good governance is not about the human rights situation in China?
– Good governance consists of opening up to discuss issues that were not on the agenda before. By the diversity in the composition of the groups in the council room.
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”