China praises Pakistan for being against ‘politicisation’ of sports amid diplomatic boycott of Olympics

‘Pakistan would like to see the Olympic spirit upheld in true sporting fashion’

China has praised Pakistan for staying away from the “politicisation” of sports as the country faces a string of diplomatic boycotts from the US, UK, Canada and Australia over the upcoming Winter Olympics scheduled in China in February.

Nong Rong, China’s envoy to Pakistan, said in a tweet on Sunday that Pakistan’s position “to oppose any form of politicisation of sports is highly appreciated”.

“The Beijing Winter Olympic Games is not a stage for the posturing and grandstanding of politicians. China is ready to deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympics to the world!”

The Chinese ambassador’s statement comes just days after Pakistan’s foreign ministry was quoted as saying by a press release from state-run news agency Xinhua on Friday that it opposed any politicisation of sports.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said Pakistan was confident that the Winter Olympics would “offer a spectacular and colorful gala to sports enthusiasts around the world, including in Pakistan” despite limitations imposed by the Covid pandemic.

“Olympic games symbolise sportsmanship, team spirit, unity, effort, struggle and maintaining grace in competition whatever the results are,” Mr Ahmad was quoted as saying in the press release.

“Pakistan would like to see the Olympic spirit upheld in true sporting fashion,” he added.

Britain and Canada became the latest countries to boycott the Winter Olympics last week.

The US and Australia had earlier announced their own diplomatic boycotts of the country, citing widely reported human rights abuses in China’s Xinjiang region.

New Zealand has also said it would not participate in the Games due to pandemic restrictions. The Pacific nation, however, also communicated concerns over human rights abuses in China.

China has denied any wrongdoing and has hit out at countries who have boycotted the upcoming Games.

“The United States, Britain and Australia have used the Olympics platform for political manipulation,” said Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson at the Chinese foreign ministry at a news conference on Thursday.

“They will have to pay the price for their mistaken acts,” he added.

A diplomatic boycott means the Games would not be attended by any government officials from the respective countries. They will, however, still be able to send their athletes to participate in the Games.

Calling the boycott a farce, Mr Wang said: “Sports has nothing to do with politics.”

“It is they who have written, directed and performed this farce,” he added.

The series of diplomatic boycotts by these countries comes amid a global outcry from rights groups over China’s treatment of minority Uyghur community in the Xinjiang region as well as its sweeping clampdown on protests in Hong Kong.