Daily Times

Given daunting challenges, when the world desperately needs a true spirit of “global oneness” “global togetherness” and “global co-existence,” Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 is a lucky charm to make things happen.

Promoting the narrative of “United We Stand and Divided We Fall,” the mega stage of Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 will provide an epic opportunity of togetherness to thousands of athletics that hail from 91 Nations.

Indeed, sports has no colour, no race and no language. It also has no shade of politics, vested interests and corporate ambitions. Sports mean sports: aimed to uphold the supremacy of games giving no regard to geo-strategic, geo-political and geo-economic tenets.

Under the umbrella of the Olympic International Committee (OIC), many flags will be hoisted but international multi-sports will instil only one sense, which will be solid rock undividedness.

Since unity and togetherness have their own particular strengths so when doomsayers tried to demonise Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 with a vicious politicisation spark, global sagacious voices came to rescue.

Sports has no colour, no race and no language. It also has no shade of politics, vested interests and corporate ambitions

Neither on the international landscape nor the OIC platform, an obnoxious political agenda, under the guise of sham human rights issues against China, was allowed to subvert the iconic games. As positivity remained overwhelming high, anti-Olympic countries, including the US, Australia, the UK, New Zealand, Lithuania and Japan had to limit their venomous propagation to diplomatic boycott. They refrained from extending the boycott to players. So all these countries’ athletes have been participating in the event as usual.

Winter Olympic Games 2022 is a politically neutral event as Rule 50 of the Olympic Charter states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites.”

OIC president Thomas Bach said well in a recent briefing that the Olympics are about diversity and unity, not politics and profit. “Boycotts don’t work,” he added.

“Participating in the Olympic Games is an incredible experience for every athlete. But it is also humbling when you realise that you are part of something bigger. You are part of an event that unites the world. In the Olympic Games, we are all equal. Everyone respects the same rules, irrespective of social background, gender, race, sexual orientation or political belief,” he explained.

Thomas Bach says politics must be kept at an arm’s length or “the Games will descend into a marketplace of demonstrations of all kinds.”

“The Olympic Games are firstly about sport. The athletes personify the values of excellence, solidarity and peace.”

He believed that the Olympic Games cannot prevent wars and conflicts. “Nor can they address all the political and social challenges in our world. But they can set an example for a world where everyone respects the same rules and one another. They can inspire us to solve problems in friendship and solidarity. They can build bridges leading to better understanding among people. In this way, they can open the door to peace,” he elaborated.

China’s Foreign Ministry has also pushed back the boycott misadventure. During the regular briefing, spokesman W?ng Wénb?n condemned the “politicisation of sports,” stating that all attempts to boycott “will not succeed.”

“China firmly opposes the politicization of sports and the interference in other countries’ internal affairs by using human rights issues as a pretext,” Wang said. “Attempts to disrupt, obstruct and sabotage the preparation and convening of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games out of political motivation have been met with strong opposition from all sectors of the international community,” he added.

It is mesmerising that Olympics preparations are in full swing; never succumbing to malicious voices of dissent and maligning protests by miscreants. Manifesting a high spirit of professionalism and broadmindedness, China is just focused on facilitating the OIC nations in terms of visa, stay, food and the virus-free environment with Chinese hospitality.

Without festering any iota of animosity, China is awarding visas to US athletes and officials. Zhao Lijian, the spokesperson of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at last Wednesday briefing that China has granted visas to some of the US officials. He also confirmed that many of those officials are from the US Department of State or other government bodies. Zhao said he hopes the US can work with China to create a good atmosphere for the Winter Olympics. The South China Morning Post cited sources that the US has expanded a list of officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics from 18 to 46, and most work for the Department of State. the US expanded a list of officials to the Beijing Winter Olympics from 18 to 46, and most work for the Department of State.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, also warmed the hearts when he said paying a visit to the site of the games to inspect preparations and progress that “we are fully confident and able to present a brilliant, exceptional and excellent Olympic games to the world.” He added: “We promise to host green, inclusive, open and corruption-free Olympics.”

Recently, the Chinese Association of International Understanding hosted in Beijing the second Dialogue on Exchanges and Mutual Learning among Civilisations. Some 260 delegates from over forty countries attended the event in person and scores of others attended online. Participants lauded China’s preparations for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and expressed full confidence that the games will be a success.

The 2022 Winter Olympics, officially the XXIV Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Beijing 2022, are an upcoming international winter multi-sport event scheduled to take place from February 4 to February 20, 2022, in Beijing and the neighbouring Hebei province in the People’s Republic of China.

The writer is a senior Journalist. He is also President of Institute of International Relations and Media Research (IIRMR).