India and the US are seeing eye to eye at the Joe Biden-facilitated Virtual Democracy Summit that started on Thursday. However, there was discord in their stands on the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.
Biden had requested for a political boycott of China just two days back, which also got support from countries like Canada, Australia, and the UK, and a bunch of other smaller countries. Some of them explained their non-participation due to the Covid reasons.
The two big European countries that will send their athletes and government representatives for the occasion are Italy and France. Germany has kept its option open by not boycotting the event or confirming their participation. However, the boycotting countries made it clear that their sportspersons would participate. The boycott was on a diplomatic level. The reason cited for the boycott is “China’s continuing genocide and crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang and other places in China. On the 26th of November, India supported China’s hosting of the Olympic Games and the Paralympics.
The major countries boycotting the games are the US, the UK, Canada, Australia, Kosovo, and New Zealand. New Zealand tried to balance their boycott by saying that they were withdrawing mainly due to the COVID scare and other issues. India’s support is symbolic since its most significant contingent at the Winter Olympics has ever been only four athletes. This time around, there is just one qualifier who will represent India.
