International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach responded to statements made Friday by a Chinese official, in what seemed to be a rare public reproach against host China.
Bach responded to a question regarding comments made by a spokesperson for the Beijing Olympics at a news conference on Thursday. She said that Olympic officials had not ignored “problem” and had spoken with Beijing organizers.
He said that both organizations, BOCOG and IOC, had reiterated their unambiguous commitment to remaining politically neutral as required by the Olympic Charter.” He was referring to Beijing Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games.
The Olympic Charter states that no demonstrations or political, religious, or racial propagandism are allowed at any Olympic site, venue, or other area.
Yan Jiarong spokeswoman, making the statements. She also answered questions from Mark Adams, IOC spokesperson, about some of the most sensitive topics for China, such as Taiwan and the Uyghur people.
Yan responded to Yan’s question about Taiwan’s participation in the opening and closing ceremonies.
“Taiwan is an integral part of China, and this principle is well-recognized internationally and widely accepted by the international community. She stated that she was against any attempt to politicize the Olympic Games.
Taiwan is a self-governing democracy Beijing claims to be its territory. Taiwanese athletes compete under the Chinese Taipei name and cannot use Taiwan’s flag.
Yan also referred “to lies” to other claims about China’s treatment Uyghurs living in the northwestern region Xinjiang.
Yan responded to a question regarding the IOC’s position about the reported existence in Xinjiang of “concentration camps”, and whether China was using force labor there.
She stated that she believes the questions were based on lies. “Some authorities have already refuted such false information with lots of solid evidence. All that evidence and facts are welcome.
Adams asked her if IOC uniforms contained products from Xinjiang. She made similar comments.
The Uyghurs were treated by the Chinese government in a manner that was described as genocide by the United States and other countries. Beijing repeatedly denied mistreatment of the largely Muslim ethnic minorities, insisting that its actions in Xinjiang were taken to counter terrorism.
A U.S.-led diplomatic ban on human rights was a major distraction in the build-up to the Games. China asked the U.S. not to interfere in the Games, and stated that pressure will only bring the Chinese people closer together.
Chinese officials sent a strong message to world leaders by selecting a Uyghur cross country skier from the western region in Xinjiang for the ceremonial flame. This moment often carries symbolic weight.