China Wednesday lashes out Australia after Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that Australian officials will not attend the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing.
A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Australia criticizes the decision saying it “runs counter to Australian publicly pronounced expectation to improve China-Australia relations”.
“As we all know, the blame for the current predicament of China-Australia relations lies squarely on the Australian side,” the spokesperson said adding China once again urges the Australian side to take practical measures to create favourable conditions for improving bilateral relations”.
The spokesperson said Australia’s success at the Games “depends on the performance of Australian athletes, not on the attendance of Australian officials and the political posturing by some Australian politicians”.
“We wish the Australian athletes excellent performance at the Winter Olympics and believe they will also witness a streamlined, safe and splendid Olympics in China”, spokesperson said.
Spokesperson clarified that under the Olympic rules, dignitaries are invited by their respective National Olympic Committee (NOC) to attend the Olympic Games. It is up to the NOC to decide whether to extend invitations or not.
“Mountains can not stop the river from flowing into the sea”, spokesperson added.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has welcomed the decision that Australian athletes will compete at the Games, saying hat politics and sport should be separated.
AOC chief executive Matt Carroll told reporters in Sydney that athletes, team officials, coaches and doctors would attend, along with vice president Ian Chesterman and president John Coates.
He said diplomatic options are a matter for the government.
“Sport is an opportunity to bring the world together, to bring athletes together from around the world. We don’t deal in the world of politics”, he said.
