China insists that sport is not really tied to politics.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BEIJING — The Chinese government has said Western countries are conducting a diplomatic boycott of the event. Winter Olympics Beijing 2022 will suffer the consequences. According to China, the Olympics should not be used to show political attitudes.

“Sport has nothing to do with politics. The (Beijing) Winter Olympics are not a stage for political positions,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said on Thursday (September 12th), the website reported. China Global Television Network (CGTN)).

He specifically warned countries that had announced a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, namely the United States (US), Britain, Australia and Canada. “The US, Australia, UK and Canada’s use of the Olympic platform for political manipulation is unpopular and alienating. They will definitely accept the consequences of their mistakes,” Wang said.

The diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics was led by the US, UK, Australia and Canada as a form of criticism and protest against a series of human rights abuses by China, including in Xinjiang. However, they still allow their athletes to participate in the sport.

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said he remained politically neutral on the issue. Because Bach focuses on athlete participation. Meanwhile, Russia criticized the US diplomatic boycott. According to Moscow, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics should be free of politics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.