China’s Foreign Ministry and an official newspaper have accused the United States of plotting to disrupt and ‘sabotage’ the Beijing Winter Olympics by paying athletes from several countries to perform half-hearted efforts in the competition.
The charges were made a week before the start of the Olympics amid tensions between the two superpowers that included a diplomatic boycott of the event by the United States, which several other countries joined.
Asked about China’s accusations, the US Embassy in Beijing on Saturday (January 29) reiterated its previous position that Washington is not coordinating a global campaign on Olympics participation.
China Dailyan English-language newspaper run by China’s ruling Communist Party, quoted an unnamed source on Friday evening (28/1) as saying that the United States intends “to encourage athletes from various countries to express their dissatisfaction with China, playing passively in the competition and even refusing to participate.”
In return, he said, Washington would provide significant compensation and “mobilize global resources” to help protect the reputations of athletes who choose to compete passively.
Asked if China’s foreign ministry believed the allegations had merit, a ministry spokesperson said. Reuters Saturday (29/1) that the report had “revealed the true intentions of some Americans to politicize the sport and to sabotage and disrupt the Beijing Winter Olympics”.
The spokesperson said he strongly condemns attempts by some Americans to “buy off” athletes and “sow confusion” during the Olympics, adding that such efforts were “doomed to failure”.
A U.S. Embassy spokesperson said Reuters via email on Saturday (1/29), “We are not coordinating and coordinating a global campaign regarding Olympics participation.”
“American athletes have the right to express themselves freely in accordance with the spirit and charter of the Olympics, including the promotion of human rights,” the spokesperson said.
In December, the United States announced a diplomatic boycott of the Olympics over what it called China’s human rights “cruelty”, a move followed by allies Australia, Great Britain -Britain and Canada. But that decision hasn’t stopped American athletes from traveling to Beijing to compete.
China denies allegations of human rights abuses and has repeatedly denounced the politicization of the Olympics. [ah]
“Gamer. Introvert. Problem solver. Creator. Thinker. Lifelong food evangelist. Alcohol advocate.”