Should we politicize sport?

Audio 29:30

Activists demonstrate in front of the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles, calling for a boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, November 3, 2021 Frederic J. BROWN AFP / Archives

By: Adrien Delgrange

1 min

Joe Biden will not see Beijing next February.

The American president chose to boycott - diplomatically - the Winter Olympics (scheduled for the Chinese capital from February 4 to 20) in the name of the defense of human rights.

In its wake the United Kingdom - Australia - Canada took the same position as the United States.

A spade sent to Xi Jinping which was hardly appreciated.

Anger or even threat from the Chinese authorities "

", declares this Thursday, December 9, 2021 a Chinese official.

When sport becomes geopolitical and we do not ask the opinion of athletes.

What is a boycott for, with what effects?  

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To discuss it:

- Armand de Rendinger

, international consultant and expert in the analysis of the Olympic movement, author “ 

 »Vagot editions 

- Jean-Christophe Collin

, senior reporter for L'Équipe, author of the book “

”, Chronique editions 

- Pim Verschuuren, 

researcher at the University of Lausanne, associate researcher at IRIS, specialist in governance in international sport, integrity and geopolitics of sport.

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