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Noel Celis / AFP

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar does not have a monopoly on the boycott debate.

The United States has indeed announced that it is considering a discussion with its allies on the issue of a boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, at a time when pressure is mounting from human rights groups. man and politicians.

"This is something we certainly want to discuss," said US State Department spokesman Ned Price, when asked if the United States was considering a joint boycott with its allies.

"We believe that a coordinated approach would not only be in our interest, but also in the interest of our allies and partners," he said, without revealing the administration's position on the issue. .

Later in the afternoon, Ned Price tweeted: “As I mentioned we have no announcement to make about the Beijing Olympics.

2022 is still a long way off, but we will continue to consult closely with our allies and partners to define our common concerns and establish our joint approach to the Communist Party of China.

"

Uyghurs at the center of concerns

Several militant groups as well as Republican politicians have recently increased their call for an American boycott of the Beijing Olympics.

They rely in part on several NGOs and countries which accuse China of persecuting Uyghur Muslims, in particular by placing them in internment camps where members of this minority are subjected, according to the testimonies of survivors, to various forms of abuse.

The administration of President Joe Biden has never ruled out the possibility of a boycott of the Olympics, without announcing a firm direction.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in February that the administration would consult with the US Olympic Committee on the matter.

Beijing for its part denounces calls for a boycott and rejects any accusation of genocide against the Uyghurs, presenting the supposed internment camps as "vocational training centers".

If it were to take place, this boycott would not be unprecedented in world politico-sporting history.

The United States boycotted the 1980 Moscow Olympics after the USSR invaded Afghanistan, while the Soviet bloc responded four years later with a boycott of the Los Angeles Olympics.

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  • Olympic Games