Page 16 - aruba-today-20220120

A16 sports
Thursday 20 January 2022

Beijing residents disappointed Olympics will be closed event

BEIJING (AP) — With just contact and undergo daily
over two weeks before testing.
the opening of the Beijing As an additional precau-
Winter Olympics, residents tion, Beijing will require
of the Chinese capital say travelers to take nucleic
they're disappointed at acid tests within 72 hours
not being able to attend of entering the city start-
events because of coro- ing Jan. 22. Schools in Bei-
navirus restrictions that jing have also closed early
have seen parts of the city and moved classes online
placed under lockdown. ahead of the winter holi-
Organizers announced days. Along with corona-
Monday that no tickets virus worries, the Games
will be sold to the general have been beset by politi-
public and only selected cal controversies, including
spectators will be allowed. a decision by the U.S. and
Access to the famed Na- its close allies not to send
tional Stadium, known as dignitaries in protest over
the Bird's Nest, and indoor China's treatment of its
venues in the heart of Bei- Muslim Uyghur minority and
jing have been sealed off. other human rights abuses.
People interviewed On Tuesday, athletes were
Wednesday appeared un- urged by human rights ac-
derstanding of the restric- tivists to avoid criticizing
tions. Many of them could Olympics," the 38-year-old the reasons," he said. Elsewhere in the country, China because they could
be seen skating on Beijing's said. "Of course, we can Retiree and amateur pho- around 20 million people be prosecuted.
frozen lakes in a sign of still watch the Games with tographer Wang Shaolan, are under some form of The International Olympic
continuing enthusiasm for live broadcast on TV and who volunteered at the lockdown and mass testing Committee has said ath-
winter sports. live streaming online, but 2008 Games, said she had has been ordered in entire letes will have freedom of
Because China allows no it doesn't provide as strong been hoping to take her cities where cases have speech when speaking to
public protests or opinion a sense of engagement as camera along to events in been discovered. journalists or posting on so-
polling and tightly restricts watching the Games on order to "be part of this." China has largely avoided cial media. However, the
free speech, any opposi- the spot." "But now with the closed- major outbreaks with lock- Olympic Charter rule that
tion to the Games or the re- Beijing is the first city to be loop management, we downs, mass testing and prohibits political protests
strictions would be muted. awarded the right to host won't be able to be there travel restrictions, although at medal ceremonies also
Chen Lin had planned to both the Summer and Win- ourselves. That's a pity," it continues to fight surges requires "applicable public
buy tickets for speed skat- ter Games. Wang said, referring to the in several cities, including law" to be followed.
ing, but gave up over Chen said the level of ex- restrictions separating par- the port of Tianjin, about an The IOC has not responded
personal concerns about citement this year was far ticipants from the general hour from Beijing. to requests in recent days
the pandemic and after it below that of 2008, when population. Restrictions were also tight- to clarify how Chinese law
became clear that tickets the Games brought an out- The recent appearance of ened in the Henan prov- could apply at the Games.
would only be offered to pouring of national pride. the more contagious omi- ince city of Anyang south Asked about the free
selected spectators. "On the one hand, the Win- cron variant of the corona- of Beijing, where an ad- speech issues at the
"I went to the Beijing Sum- ter Olympics don't get as virus in Beijing has height- ditional 29 cases of local Olympics, Foreign Minis-
mer Olympic Games in much attention as the Sum- ened concerns about out- transmission were reported try spokesperson Zhao Li-
2008. It's a pity that I won't be mer Olympics. On the other breaks, although the capi- Wednesday, out of a na- jian said Wednesday that
able to watch the Games hand, there is also the pan- tal reported just one new tional total of 55. China understood the IOC
this time during the Winter demic. Both of them are case Wednesday. Games organizers have al- banned athletes from po-
ready announced that no litical protests.
LIKE US ON fans from outside the coun- "I would like to reiterate
try will be allowed.
that China welcomes ath-
The Olympics begin Feb. 4, letes from all countries to
just days after the start of participate in the Beijing
Lunar New Year celebra- Winter Olympic Games
tions. Athletes, officials, staff and will ensure their safety
and journalists are required and convenience," Zhao
Facebook.com/arubatoday/ to enter an anti-pandemic told reporters at a daily
without
bubble
outside briefing.q