Civic Register
| 12.8.21

Australia, Britain, & Canada Join U.S. Diplomatic Boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

Do you support or oppose the U.S. diplomatic boycott of China’s Beijing Winter Olympics?

UPDATE 12/8/21

  • Three of America's closest allies ― Australia, Britain, and Canada ― have announced that they will join the U.S. in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics next year over China's human rights violations and its belligerence toward Taiwan.
  • Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the move Wednesday and said, "I'm doing it because it's in Australia's national interest... It's the right thing to do."
  • British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday, "There will be effectively a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics in Beijing, no ministers are expected to attend and no officials." He added, "I do not think that sporting boycotts are sensible and that remains the policy of the government."
  • Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau explained, "I don't think the decision by Canada or by many other countries to choose not to send diplomatic representation to the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics is going to come as a surprise to China. We have been very clear over the past many years of our deep concerns around human rights violations."
  • More U.S. allies may join in the diplomatic boycott in the weeks ahead.

The original article appears below.

What’s the story?

“The Biden administration will not send any diplomatic or official representation to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games given the [People’s Republic of China’s] ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang and other human rights abuses. The athletes on Team USA have our full support. We will be behind them 100% as we cheer them on from home. We will not be contributing to the fanfare of the Games. U.S. diplomatic or official representation would treat these Games as business as usual in the face of the PRC’s egregious human rights abuses and atrocities in Xinjiang. And we simply can’t do that.”
  • A diplomatic boycott allows U.S. athletes to compete at the Olympic and Paralympic Games but aims to deny China the propaganda opportunity of U.S. dignitaries attending the games in Beijing amid the Chinese Communist Party’s ongoing genocide and persecution of the Uyghurs. 
  • The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee previously expressed opposition to an athlete boycott, which said past boycotts “only hurt athletes who have trained for their entire lives for this opportunity to represent their country.”
  • America’s diplomatic boycott may be joined by other U.S. allies and partners that share an interest in holding China accountable for its crimes against humanity in Xinjiang, in addition to its belligerence against pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, the nation of Taiwan, and in the South China Sea.

What happened in past Olympic boycotts?

  • The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing isn't the first time the Olympic Games involved a discussion of a boycott over the host nations’ conduct, although there has only been one other time that the U.S. followed through with a full boycott (as opposed to a diplomatic boycott).
  • Moscow was slated to host the 1980 Summer Olympics just months after the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979. President Jimmy Carter threatened to boycott the Summer Olympics unless the Soviet Union withdrew, which it did not do.
  • While detractors argued the boycott wouldn’t result in the USSR withdrawing, the U.S. went ahead with the boycott and was joined by over 60 other countries. While the U.S., Japan, and West Germany engaged in a full boycott of the Moscow Olympics, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia allowed athletes to decide individually whether they would compete. 
  • Many of the athletes from nations that boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics competed at the “Liberty Bell Classic” which was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and financed by $10 million from Congress.
  • In 1984, Los Angeles was the site of the Summer Olympics and the Soviet Union boycotted the games in retaliation, and instead hosted the “Friendship Games” with Soviet athletes joined by competitors from North Korea and six other Eastern Bloc communist satellite nations.


— Eric Revell

(Photo Credit: Olympic Symbol: Mike_fleming via Flickr / Creative Commons | Uyghur Concentration Camp: Radio Free Asia / Fair Use)

  • 3,405
    Adel
    02/06/2022

    The Olympics have been nothing but political from the beginning of time but rather than pull my World History book out to wade through that part, bear with me and just for today let's start with the 1912 Olympics in Sweden. Jim Thorpe a Saux and Fox American Indian man won the Pentathlon, long jump, javelin, discus, 200m and 1500m, Decathlon, 100m long jump, shot put, high jump 400m, discuss 110m, hurdles, pole vault, javelin and the 1500 m. He set a new world record of 8,412 points which stood until 1948. King Gustav of Sweden said, "You Sir, are the Greatest Athlete in the World". Now for the bad part........and you knew that it was coming because we are talking about an American Indian person here. They (whoever "they" are discovered that Jim had played baseball in Cleveland (to make money to buy his schoolbooks) and was paid $1.05 for it! The Olympic Committee swiftly stripped him of all of his medals. His daughter fought for many years to have his medals restored and long after his death and I believe hers too; they returned those medals to his descendants.

  • 115
    Bob
    12/14/2021

    China's history regarding human rights is bad to say the least and should never have been considered possible to hold Olympic Games in the first place. China has literally allowed slave labor and specifically as a response to citizens simply with differing political opinions and expressing them only. China's shear intolerance of differing ideas spoken cannot be accepted as they turn those and many others into lave labor without any real justification. We should have no less than a 25% tariff against all there products and increase if they fail to express and honor human rights.

  • 1,212
    colin
    12/14/2021

    It may be only symbolic but we all need to let the Chinese know we care.

  • 171
    Hailey
    12/13/2021

    very happy countries can come together when its the right thing to do vs staying for the money.

  • 242
    Darlene
    12/13/2021

    Any country that abuses its citizens should not participate in the Olympics.

  • 289
    COLLEEN
    12/13/2021

    The world needs to send a clear message to China; they probably don't give a s**t what the world thinks.

  • 648
    Rhonda
    12/13/2021

    Withholding diplomatic attendance from the Beijing Olympics is just winking at the problem and will do nothing to end the human suffering in China.

  • 3,405
    Adel
    12/11/2021

    The Olympics are nothing but a weathervane for discontent and racist outlets. Look up Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills. The Billy Mills story is a bit more subtle and may not even be recorded in a book but there is plenty of video and films about it. He won the 10,000 Meter run at the 1968 Olympics. They wouldn't issue him the special "Olympic shoes" that all the other runners got so he ran in some barrowed shoes. He won anyway. Unlike Thrope's many victories they didn't take Billy Mills win away from him! I never watch the Olympics, never have. The history of it makes me sick.

  • 27
    Ray
    12/11/2021

    Send a message that crimes of Humanity will not be tolerated

  • 7,929
    larubia
    12/09/2021

    When you ride the limo, everyone wants to come along. However, when you get on the bus & your friends join…you know you have “real” friends! Those boycotting the Olympics/riding the bus are our allies. This should not be forgotten…ever!

  • 34
    Thomas
    12/09/2021

    My best friend is Asian (Vietnamese), and over the years, he’s shared with me the outrage over many things that China does to its citizens. Also, the lack of things for Chinese citizens, it’s unfortunate to see so many human beings not being cared for as well as they should be on a fundamental human rights level. I’m afraid I also have to disagree with how China is doing Hong Kong, they may be allowed on paper to take over and reabsorb this country, but they sure aren’t treating the citizens of Hong Kong very well.

  • 862
    Daniel
    12/10/2021

    I do support the Diplomatic Boycott, but, we should go all the way and Refuse to participate in any way whatsoever.

  • 87
    Lawrence
    12/09/2021

    There should be no Americans at all at the Olympics

  • 1,161
    Donna
    12/09/2021

    I am in support of not sending any American officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics. China is committing genocide of the Uyghurs that reside in China. China being Communist country wants all people to give up their religions, and the Uyghurs will not do this. I believe that all the other countries should not take part of any Olympics in China. I even believe that our athletes should not attend. All countries must demand another location be chosen for the Winter Olympics! To attend in any way supports China monetarily and they have shown they don't deserve it!

  • 24
    Steven
    12/09/2021

    China is not for freedom or justice. We should never have welcomed and built them up. But then again when you look at our law makers on both sides you will see that they vote in favor of any bill that hurts Americans and lifts up the communist Chinese regime. Not only should our leaders not be at these games, our athletes should not be there.

  • 762
    Mindfulness
    12/09/2021

    Human Rights…remain China’s unmet challenge.

  • 5,174
    Adam
    12/09/2021

    I don't understand the detractors' argument that it's just a gesture. So ... we shouldn't do it? "Didn't get you a gift for Mother's Day this year, Mom. It would have just been a gesture and you already know I love you." You realize the other two options are a) we do send government support or b) we don't send anyone, including the athletes who have worked for years to get to the Olympics. I feel like this is a reasonable middle of the road response that sends a message without unnecessarily penalizing our athletes.

  • 198
    suzy
    12/09/2021

    Perhaps they should do even more.

  • 685
    DOMINIC
    12/09/2021

    I fully support the ban on CCP and the olympics!

  • 1,927
    Paul
    12/09/2021

    Sorry - this seems like silly symbolism. No high-level diplomats, but I think we should have lower-level diplomats on the scene to protect our teams. I don't think the Olympics are the thing to hang our diplomacy on just to score feel-good points.