IOC 'fully respects' US diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it "fully respects" the USA government's decision of the diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympic Games 2022 which is set to be held in Beijing.

In a symbolic protest against China's "ongoing genocide and crimes against humanity in Xinjiang," the Biden administration has decided not to send an official US delegation to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

US athletes will still participate in the Olympics, but the administration will not be sending government officials to the games. The same policy applies to the Paralympic Games to be held in Beijing, CNN reported.

"The presence of government officials and diplomats is a purely political decision for each government, which the IOC in its political neutrality fully respects. At the same time, this announcement also makes clear that the Olympic Games and the participation of the athletes are beyond politics, and we welcome this," IOC said in the statement on Monday regarding USA's decision.

"The support for the athletes and the Olympic Games has been expressed multiple times in the recent months, most recently by the United Nations resolution entitled 'Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal'."

The IOC said the resolution had been adopted by consensus of all 193 Member States and co-sponsored by 173 Member States at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York just last week.

This resolution calls for the observance of the Olympic Truce for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Beijing 2022, from seven days before the start of the Olympic Games, on February 4, 2022, until seven days after the end of the Paralympic Games.

The resolution also "calls upon all Member States to cooperate with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in their efforts to use sport as a tool to promote peace, dialogue and reconciliation in areas of conflict during and beyond the period of the Olympic and Paralympic Games".

( With inputs from ANI )