Beijing 2022 boycott: Government response shows lack of regard for athletes who are deeply troubled by genocide being committed against Uyghur minority

Jamie Stone MP, 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 Nigel Adams said it was a matter for the British Olympics Association and individual sports people.

Jamie Stone MP 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.