2022 Beijing Winter Olympics logo (photo from bleacherreport.com)

USA Could Boycott Winter Olympics in Beijing 2022

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday confirmed that it is weighing the possibility of a boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics, to be held in Beijing, China. The push for a boycott stems from China’s alleged human rights abuses, and its treatment of the Uyghurs, an ethnic minority group that China has moved to “re-education” camps, which is a sanitized word for what many believe are slave labor camps and genocide against the Muslim minority in that country.

Chinese authorities are notorious for silencing of human rights defenders, journalists, and activists, and placing restrictions on their internet. They also are persecuting Christians and churches. It is difficult to obtain accurate information about Chinese government policies and their actions.

Last year, the country of China silenced scientists in their country that spoke about the mishandling of the covid-19 virus which it is believed to have originated in Wuhan, China. The communist government, who controls the media is very protective and rarely allows a different opinion than the official opinion of the Chinese government. In 2020 Chinese Tycoon Ren Zhiquiang vanished after criticizing the government for their handling and misinformation about the corona virus pandemic.

While the U.S. government does not appear close to a decision on a potential boycott of the 2022 games, the threat is sure to raise concerns within Comcast’s NBC Universal, which has the TV rights for the Olympics.

In 1980 the United States led a boycott of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Then four years later in 1984 the Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles. 14 Eastern Bloc countries and allies, led by the Soviet Union, initiated the boycott for the games in 1984.

This boycott occurred during the Cold War, which ultimately was won by US/Free World. Once the Berlin Wall fell, freedom and democracy was adopted by The Soviet Union, now Russia. In 1991 the process of democratization began in Russia.

Stay well and stay tuned.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the vice president of the Major League Baseball Hispanic Heritage Hall of Fame Museum and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com