Bach reminds Beijing 2022 organizers to remain apolitical

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach reminded Beijing 2022 organizers to remain apolitical after a Beijing 2022 spokesperson made controversial statements on Taiwan and Xinjiang.

Bach told reporters, “we were in touch with BOCOG immediately after this press conference and then both organisations, BOCOG and the IOC, have restated the unequivocal commitment to remain politically neutral, as it is required by the Olympic Charter.”

During an astonishing final daily press briefing the day prior, Beijing 2022 spokesperson Yan Jiarong made several controversial comments and interjections.

In response to a question asked about Taiwan’s original intention to boycott the opening and closing ceremonies, Yan interjected to state, “Taiwan is an indivisible part of China and this is a well recognized international principle and well recognized in the international community.”

She also injected after the IOC was questioned over the existence of “concentration camps” in Xinjiang. Yan commented, “I think these questions are very much based on lies. Some authorities have already disputed this false information. There is a lot of solid evidence. You are very welcome to refer to all that evidence and the facts.”

She then further replied to another question on the topic stating, “I think the so-called forced labor in Xinjiang are lies made up by deliberate groups.”

Since the press briefing, the IOC has faced questions about a potential violation of Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits any “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” at “Olympic sites, venues or other areas.”

The politically fraught nature of contemporary global politics has forced the IOC to walk an incredibly thin tightrope when it comes to politics.