Australia will not send officials to the Winter Olympics in Beijing: PM Scott Morrison
New Delhi: After the United States, now Australia has decided to withdraw its name from the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February-2022. Prime Minister of Australia on Wednesday said that “Australia will not send officials to the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February.”
Australia joined a US diplomatic boycott of the Games. “Canberra’s decision stems from “disagreement” with China on a number of matters, ranging from Australia’s foreign influence rules to a recent effort to buy nuclear-powered submarines. Australia’s a great sporting nation and I very much separate the issues of sport and these other political issues,” Morrison said.
Morrison cited China’s human-rights abuses in Xinjiang as a primary reason for the boycott, adding China — which has denied any wrongdoing in the region — has not spoken to Australia about its concerns. The 53-year-old said he wants to ease the tension between the two countries without stepping “back from the strong position we had standing up for Australia’s interest.”
“Our Australian athletes have been training and competing with this Olympic dream for four years now and we are doing everything in our power to ensure we can help them succeed, “AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said.
“Human rights are extremely important, but the considered view of diplomats is that keeping channels of communication open is far more impactful than shutting them down.”
The Australian Olympic Committee agreed with Morrison’s decision to separate politics and sport with the boycott, saying “diplomatic options are a matter for government” while acknowledging the human-rights issues at hand.
Any Chinese retaliation from Australia’s decision to boycott the Games, Morrison said, would be “completely and utterly unacceptable and there would be no grounds for that whatsoever.”
China foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian threatened the US with “countermeasures” on Tuesday, claiming the U.S. would “pay a price for its erroneous actions.”
The International Olympic Committee announced Monday it “fully respects” the Americans’ boycott decision but has yet to comment on Australia.
(_Vinayak)
