[Chinese Embassy in the ROK: Some ROK media and politicians have used the so-called misjudgment of the Winter Olympics to incite anti-China sentiments and poison the feelings of the people of the two countries] We have noticed that the ROK sports delegation recently

[Chinese Embassy in the ROK: Some ROK media and politicians have used the so-called miscalculation of the Winter Olympics to incite anti-China sentiments and poison the feelings of the people of the two countries] We have noticed that the ROK sports delegation and some media recently questioned the existence of "unfair punishments" for the short track speed skating competition at the Beijing Winter Olympics. This is a technical issue that should be judged by a professional authority. However, some South Korean media and politicians have pointed the finger at the Chinese government and the entire Beijing Winter Olympics, and even incited anti-China sentiment, poisoning the feelings of the people of the two countries and causing Chinese netizens to fight back. We are compelled to express our grave concern and to state our solemn position on this.

The Winter Olympics are competitive, highly professional and technical, with clear rules, standards and charters for each event. Short track speed skating is a highly dangerous and controversial event, in order to maximize the safety of participating athletes and improve the fairness and impartiality of the competition, the International Skating Federation continues to revise, improve and refine the rules of the competition. The short track speed skating event of the Beijing Winter Olympics is carried out in accordance with the latest revised rules of the International Skating Federation. Mr. Peter Voss, the British chief referee of this short track speed skating event, has served as the referee of three winter Olympics short track events, including the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, which is authoritative. In response to the South Korean side's relevant doubts, the International Skating Federation has issued an official statement a few days ago, detailing the details of the judging rules and the factual basis.

I would like to emphasize that the Winter Olympics are an international sporting event, and the referees for each competition are selected by the International Olympic Committee and the International Sports Federation, and no country or government has the right to interfere. Against the backdrop of the global covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese government has made great efforts to ensure the success of the Winter Olympics, providing a safe, fair and just competition environment for athletes from all over the world, and ensuring that all events are simple and exciting, but will never affect or interfere with the outcome of the games. Some South Korean media and politicians speculate that "there is a shady scene in the Winter Olympics" and falsely claim that "the Chinese government and sports departments should reflect on themselves", which is extremely irresponsible, and we absolutely cannot accept this.

Competitive sports have wins and losses, and we understand the mood of the Korean people. In this Winter Olympics, nearly 3,000 athletes competed in the same field under the banner of the five rings, sharing the joy and passion brought by sports. This is the real charm of the Olympic movement, and it is the Spirit of the Olympics that is "higher, faster, stronger – more united". It is hoped that athletes from all over the world, including South Korea, can bloom on the Winter Olympics, surpass themselves, and inject more "unity power" into the international community. We would like to express our heartfelt congratulations to the athletes of all countries for their success.

In the 30 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the ROK, the relations between the two countries have made remarkable achievements, greatly promoted the development of the two countries, and also brought tangible benefits to the two peoples, which deserve to be cherished. The friendly feelings between the two peoples are even more valuable assets shared by both sides, and they must not be hurt by certain emotional words and deeds. China will continue to make positive efforts to promote bilateral relations and friendly feelings between the two peoples. I hope and believe that Korean friends can walk in the same direction. #中方回应韩国质疑冬奥会短道速滑裁判 #