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Opinion | Why China deserves to host the 2022 Winter Olympics
- Boycotts of sporting events fail to achieve political goals and only harm the athletes
- Research suggests the 2008 Olympics had positive effects on China’s society, economy and environment, and Beijing’s hosting of the Winter Olympics will continue to expand the role of sport in the country
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On a gentle night in September 1993, right in front of Tiananmen Square, I witnessed one of the biggest premature celebrations in history. When the International Olympic Committee started to thank the bidders for the right to host the 2000 Summer Olympics, the name “Beijing” was uttered through a loud speaker.
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The enthusiastic crowds who gathered there, so confident of Beijing’s victory, gave wild cheers. Fountains went off briefly until the authorities realised that Sydney had actually been granted the honour and stopped the flow. I was bitterly disappointed, like everyone else.
Eight years later, China’s bid to host the 2008 Summer Olympics was successful. Following the winning announcement, a wild celebration ensued with joyful dancing, the deafening noise of firecrackers, laughter and ecstatic cries. Among the crowds, I felt the sense of jubilation and their longing for recognition from the world.
In a few weeks, Beijing will host the 24th Winter Olympics, which will make China’s capital the world’s first city to host both the Summer and Winter Games. Yet, the calls for a boycott from human rights advocacy groups and others are growing ever louder over accusations of the persecution of Uygurs in Xinjiang, a crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong and other human rights violations.
At risk of being labelled a “running dog of the Chinese government” – I have been accused of being a “running dog of the West” in China many times – I would still like to say: please let Beijing have the Games.
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China, IOC to ban overseas spectators from 2022 Olympic Winter Games
China, IOC to ban overseas spectators from 2022 Olympic Winter Games
To start with, hosting the upcoming Games wasn’t exactly a piece of juicy meat that everyone fought over. Four of the initial six applicants dropped out, leaving Beijing to compete with Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhstan, hardly a beacon of democracy.
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