, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Liberal Democrat
Spokesperson for Sport, has criticised the Government’s response
to his request in Parliament for a commitment to supporting
athletes who choose to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympic and
Paralympic Games in Beijing.
Foreign Office Minister said it
was a matter for the British Olympics Association and individual
sports people.
said:
“China is responsible for genocide. We know they run so-called
re-education camps where they try to eradicate the Uyghur culture
and conduct forced sterilisation on Uyghur women.
“I know some athletes are deeply troubled by this 21st century
genocide happening in China. Many of them are wonderfully
talented athletes with a serious chance of winning big, so this
will be a tough dilemma for them.
“I want to make sure that if our Olympians and Paralympians
choose to demonstrate and choose to oppose this situation, that
the Government will envelop them in support - whatever they need
must be given to them. It is only right that we support those
that take a stand against genocide.
“But for the Minister to fail to answer my question properly
demonstrates his lack of regard both for the situation and for
our athletes.”
The Liberal Democrats have called on the Chinese government to
meet a series of key conditions including:
· Closure of detention camps in Xinjiang.
· End to ethnic cleansing of Uyghurs.
· End to the use of Uyghur forced labour.
· End to the sterilisation of Uyghur women.
· End of human rights abuses, torture, sexual assault, and rape
of Uyghurs.
