China to hold 2022 Winter Olympic Games on schedule despite Omicron concerns: Official

On Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian declared that the country will hold the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games as scheduled, despite the growing concerns over the spread of the new Omicron variant of Coronavirus. "In terms of the Omicron strain's impact on the Winter Olympics, I believe it will undoubtedly pose some prevention and control issues, but thanks to China's experience in preventing and battling COVID-19. I am fully convinced that the Winter Olympics will be successfully organised as per the plan," he was quoted as saying by Sputnik. The Games are scheduled to take place next year from February 4 to 20.

The new variant has been categorised as a "variant of concern" by the World Health Organization and it was given the Greek name — Omicron. The strain has alarmed scientists and the health community because of its complicated genetic sequence. Besides, it is also the most potent type of the SARS-CoV-2 variation found to date. The variant's protein spike has more than 50 mutations, including more than 30 on the spike protein, making it far more transmissible than the Delta version. The new variant was first detected in South Africa, since then it has been found in many countries including, Belgium, Botswana, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Italy, Australia and the United Kingdom. 

In addition to the virus' threat, the calls for the boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics is also gaining momentum amid the Chinese repression of the Uyghur community in Xinjiang. Human rights advocates and lawmakers of several countries have been calling for a boycott of the Beijing Olympics, reported ANI earlier this month. Protests are being held around the world against conducting the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as Chinese authorities have reportedly been suppressing the human rights of Uyghurs. 

Protest against Beijing Winter Olympic Games

It is pertinent to mention here that on October 27, more than 50 activists from various backgrounds had protested for an hour outside the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo, urging Japan and the international community to hold China accountable for human rights violations in Xinjiang, Tibet, Hong Kong, and Inner Mongolia. The activists demonstrated under the banner of 100 Days to the "#GenocideOlympics," highlighting the Chinese authorities' suppression of democratic voices in Hong Kong and urging the international community to boycott the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. Earlier on October 18, activists in Greece unfurled Tibetan flags and a banner at the flame-lighting ceremony for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The banner read, "No Genocide Games," reported Bangkok Post. 

(With inputs from ANI)

(Image: AP)