Beijing, November 28 (Xinhua) -- Under the circumstance that the global epidemic prevention and control situation is still grim, the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, which conveys hope, courage, peace and unity to the world, has entered the final sprint stage of preparations, and ice and snow athletes around the world are preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics. However, recently, discordant tones of so-called "diplomatic boycott" have come from a small number of politicians in the West, which seriously violate the core values of the Olympic Games and run counter to the ideas advocated by the Olympic Movement.
The picture shows the emblems of the Beijing Winter Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Xinhua News Agency (Photo courtesy of Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee)
The Olympic Movement aspires to contribute to the peaceful future of humanity through the educational value of sport. It brings together athletes from all over the world to participate in the greatest international sporting event, the Olympic Games, and its purpose is to promote peace, mutual understanding and the expression of goodwill.
Sweden's Sandra Nasslund (first from left), Switzerland's Fanny Smith (second from left) and France's Berger Sabatel (second from right) compete in the women's group of the "Meet in Beijing" series on November 27. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Shiyao
From the perspective of historical origins, the Olympic Movement has always been accompanied by peace, friendship and depoliticization, and the core values of peace and friendship have become the innate attributes of the Olympic Games. In the more than one hundred years since the birth of the modern Olympic Games, although the Olympic Charter has been revised many times, the basic principles and core values of the Olympic Games have never changed. The Olympic Charter clearly states at the outset that "the goal of Olympism is to make sport work for the harmonious development of humankind in order to promote human dignity and build a peaceful society." "To this end, the Olympic Charter further emphasizes that sports organizations in the Olympic Movement should remain politically neutral and oppose the misuse of sports and athletes for any political or commercial purpose.
IOC President Bach elaborated on this. He said that it was the "principle of non-discrimination" that made sport effective in promoting peace and understanding among peoples, regardless of race, nationality, gender, social status, religious beliefs and political values. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon also said: "Sport may be competitive in nature, but it can be a very powerful tool for dialogue, peace and reconciliation." ”
On October 25, IOC President Thomas Bach delivered a video message on the 100-day countdown to the Beijing Winter Olympics. Photo by Ju Huanzong, Xinhua News Agency
It is precisely because of this that the clamor of "diplomatic resistance" by a small number of Politicians in the West is naturally spurned by people who love the Olympic Movement and peace. IAAF President Sebastian Koo recently made it clear that the "diplomatic boycott" of the Beijing Winter Olympics is a "meaningless and harmful gesture." Ilyich, president of the Pan American Sports Organization, said he opposed linking sports to politics and that "we want to try our best to participate in a wonderful Winter Olympics."
Practice has proved that sport is an effective tool for promoting peaceful development. The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development also describes the role of sport: "Sport is also an important driver of sustainable development. We recognize that sport promotes inclusion and respect, thereby making an increasing contribution to the achievement of peaceful development. On 6 April this year, the International Day of Sport for Peace and Development, Bach said of the role of sport in promoting social recovery in the face of COVID-19: "Sport is ready to contribute to building a more people-centred and inclusive society. "This crisis has made it clearer than ever that sport is the best low-cost, high-impact tool in all countries' recovery efforts."
In the face of crisis, the world needs solidarity more than ever. This summer, the IOC plenary agreed to revise the Olympic motto to add "more solidarity" after "faster, higher, stronger", and the theme slogan of the 2022 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games is "Together for the Future". Whether it is the "more unity" of the International Olympic Committee or the "together to the future" of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, it shows the determination and courage of the people of the world to work hard together, tide over the difficulties together, and chase dreams and hopes.
At this time, the so-called "diplomatic boycott" is obviously contrary to the mighty trend of world development, and it is reasonable that these voices are constantly refuted by people of insight abroad.
Source: Xinhua News Agency