A US rights monitor has raised the alarm over athletes’ safety at China’s upcoming Winter Olympics, after the host authorities threatened “punishment” for anti-Beijing comments.
The Congressional-Executive Commission on China — a group of Washington lawmakers and White House officials — asked US Olympics authorities for an “urgent effort” to protect their sports stars’ free speech rights at the February 4-20 tournament.
The commission spoke out after Yang Shu, a senior official in the Beijing organizing committee, told an online briefing on January 18 that “any behavior or speech that is against the Olympic spirit, especially against the Chinese laws and regulations, are also subject to certain punishment.”
“While we hope no Olympians face punishment for exercising their freedom of speech, given Yang Shu’s statement and the Chinese government’s documented behavior, we urge the USOPC to be vigilant and prepared to defend any Olympians who speak out,” the commission said in a letter to the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee seen by AFP.
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