IOC Stance On China Human Rights Issues Ahead Of Winter Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has revealed it will not intervene with human rights issues as pressure builds to relocate the 2022 Winter Olympic Games out of China.

The discussion comes as human rights groups continue to ask the IOC to postpone and relocate the Beijing Winter Olympics due to ongoing concerns over genocide in China against Muslim minority groups.

In a National Press Club presentation, IOC vice-president and Australian Olympic Committee president, John Coates, said the IOC has no rulings on China and has a responsibility to uphold the Olympic Movement.

“The IOC does place a very high emphasis on human rights,” Coates said.

“I know it’s a very important part of the fundamental principles of Olympism, the fundamental principles set out in the Olympic Charter.

“But… the IOC’s remit is to ensure that there is no human rights abuses in respect of the conduct of the Games within the national Olympic committees or within the Olympic Movement.

“We have no ability to go into a country and tell them what to do.

“All we can do is to award the Olympics to a country, under conditions set out in a host contract… and then ensure they are followed,” he said.

On a potential boycott of the Winter Olympics, Coates said previous attempts to boycott Olympic Games have proven unsuccessful and he does not see any value in a boycott attempt.