Chinese and Tibetan human rights groups and activists protest against the decision by the International Olympic Committee. The Chinese government “needs a slap in the face”. The IOC shows that the “Olympics are awarded for only for business.” A former dissident arrested in connection with the 2008 games hopes that others will not pay the price he paid in 2008.

Dharamsala (AsiaNews) – Despite protests from human rights advocates, the International Olympic Committee announced on Friday that Beijing won the bid to host 2022 winter Olympics.

For the International Tibet Network (ITN), a global coalition of Tibet-related non-governmental organizations, this sends “the wrong message to the wrong people at the wrong time”.

On its website, ITN goes on to say, “China wants the world to ignore its deteriorating human rights” situation. In view of this, “the honour of a second Olympic games is a propaganda gift to China when what it needs is a slap in the face.”

When the announcement was made, several human rights groups and activists involved with China protested in front of the Lausanne Committee headquarters.

“I hope my fellow Tibetans in Tibet do not pay a price in 2022 like the one I and others paid for the Olympic Games in 2008,” said Golog Jigme, a former political prisoner who was arrested in connections with Beijing’s summer games.

“I am deeply sorry that the IOC has rejected pleas from Tibetan, Chinese and so many other human rights defenders to keep the Games from Beijing. They must now accept responsibility for the decision”.

China beat Kazakhstan despite protests over its human rights record, its disastrous environmental situation and the lack of natural snow.

“The IOC has consistently proved that the Olympics are awarded only for business, and 'peace through sports' is only lip-service, including 1936 Hitler's Berlin Olympics. Only a serious disturbance in their business can deter IOC to think again,” wrote Tenzin Tsundue, Tibetan writer and activist.

• china
• winter
• olympics
• 2022