When Beijing was awarded the 2008 Summer Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) predicted the Games could improve human rights, and Chinese politicians hinted at the same. Such talk is all but absent this time as the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics open in just over a week. (More Sports News)
The Games are a reminder of both China바카라s rise and its disregard for civil liberties, which has prompted a diplomatic boycott led by the U.S. Rights groups have documented forced labour, mass detentions and torture, and the U.S. has called China바카라s internment of at least 1 million Uyghurs genocide.
China has also come under criticism over the near-disappearance from public view of tennis star Peng Shuai after she accused a former senior member of the ruling Communist Party of sexually assaulting her.
But with more political, economic and military clout than it had 13 1/2 years ago, China appears to be worrying less about global scrutiny this time. And the COVID-19 pandemic has given it, even more, control over the Olympics, particularly with the isolation of visiting journalists, separated in a 바카라bubble바카라 from the Chinese population.
바카라There바카라s nothing to 바카라prove바카라 at this point; 2008 was a 바카라coming out바카라 party and all this one does is confirm what we바카라ve known for the last decade,바카라 Amanda Shuman, a China researcher at the University of Freiburg, wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
바카라If anything, there바카라s a lot less pressure than 2008,바카라 she said. 바카라The Chinese government knows full well that its global economic upper hand allows it to do whatever it wishes.바카라
The IOC had few options when it awarded China the Games for the second time. Six possible European candidates, led by Norway and Sweden, bowed out for political or cost reasons. Voters in two other countries 바카라 Switzerland and Germany 바카라 voted no in referendums.
IOC members eventually picked Beijing 바카라 an authoritarian state that doesn바카라t need voter approval to proceed 바카라 over Almaty, Kazakhstan, in a close vote, 44-40.
The IOC has allowed China to avoid human rights oversight. Beginning with the 2024 Paris Olympics, host cities must adhere to the U.N. Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. But China was not subject to those rules when it was picked in 2015.
바카라When China hosts the Olympics again, it is no longer the China back in 2008,바카라 dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei said in an email to The AP. Ai helped design the famous Bird바카라s Nest stadium that was used in the 2008 Games 바카라 hoping it would signify a new openness 바카라 and then regretted doing so, calling it and the Olympics China바카라s 바카라fake smile.바카라
Ai was jailed in 2011 in China on unspecified charges and now lives in exile in Portugal. The Bird바카라s Nest will again host the opening ceremony on February 4.
바카라China today has deviated further away from democracy, freedom of press and human rights, and the reality has become even harsher,바카라 Ai added. China바카라s tone has toughened since the last time it hosted the Games.
In 2008, Beijing put some curbs on broadcasting from Tiananmen Square but allowed it; agreed to 바카라protest zones,바카라 though they were never used, with access repeatedly denied; and dropped some reporting restrictions more than a year ahead of the Games. It also unblocked its censored internet for journalists.
In 2022, there is less accommodation. The pandemic will limit journalists to a tightly sealed 바카라bubble,바카라 though there will be internet access. Chinese organizers have warned foreign athletes that any statement that goes against Chinese law could be punished. And a smartphone app widely used by athletes and reporters has glaring security vulnerabilities, according to an internet watchdog.
Some national Olympic committees have advised teams and staff not to take personal phones or laptops to Beijing. The IOC, which generates billions from sponsorships and broadcast rights, seldom pushes back in public against Chinese organizers who are, in reality, the Chinese government.
Some of the changes that affect 2022 began a month after the 2008 Olympics ended, when the global financial crisis hit. China fared better than most countries, which increased its confidence. China has since seen the rise of Xi Jinping, who headed the 2008 Olympics and was named general secretary of the Communist Party in 2012.
바카라Although Xi was in charge of 2008 Olympic Games, the Winter Games is truly Xi바카라s Games,바카라 said Xu Guoqi, who teaches history at the University of Hong Kong. He is the author of 바카라Olympic Dreams: China and Sports, 1895-2008.바카라
Mary Gallagher, director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the University of Michigan, said the state of U.S. democracy and its 바카라poor pandemic response바카라 have further emboldened China.
바카라Right now the multiple U.S. failures create momentum for renewed nationalism and confidence in China,바카라 Gallagher said by email.
바카라This is made all the more effective by the Communist Party바카라s strict control over information, which can rain 바카라positive energy바카라 down on what바카라s happening in China while only publicizing negative accounts of other countries, especially the U.S.바카라
China complained in 2008 that human rights protests around Tibet politicized the Olympics. The Olympic Torch Relay, taken on a world tour, faced violent protests in London and elsewhere. The IOC has not tried such a relay since.
China, which has called the allegations of human rights abuses the 바카라lie of the century,바카라 says mixing sports and politics goes against the Olympic Charter. IOC President Thomas Bach has likewise used that principle as a shield against critics.
But others see hypocrisy on China바카라s part.
바카라Sports and politics do mix,바카라 Laura Luehrmann, a China specialist at Wright State University, said in an email. 바카라Politics is about the distribution and use of limited resources 바카라 most notably power and decision-making, but also finances as well. Sports is all about power and money 바카라 even if framed as glorifying athletic achievement.바카라
Victor Cha, who served in the White House under President George W. Bush and is the author of 바카라Beyond the Final Score 바카라 The Politics of Sport in Asia,바카라 said China바카라s moaning about others politicizing sports is 바카라the pot calling the kettle black.바카라
바카라There is no country that has ignored the Olympic Charter바카라s mandate to keep politics out of sports more than China,바카라 Cha, who teaches at Georgetown University, wrote in an essay last week for the Center for Strategic & International Studies.
바카라Much as the world would like the Olympics to be devoid of politics, as George Orwell once wrote: 바카라Sport is war minus the shooting.바카라바카라
