U.S.-led boycott of Beijing Olympic Games Australia, Britain and Canada have joined the United States in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, motivated by what they argue are widespread human rights abuses by China CONTROVERSIES BESETTING PREPARATIONS FOR BEIJING GAMES XINJIANG Campaigners believe at least one million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities have been detained in camps TIBET Human rights activists and exiles accuse Beijing of religious repression and massively curtailing rights HONG KONG Concerns over clampdown as China remodels region in its authoritarian image, after widespread and violent democracy protests PENG SHUAI Concerns about welfare of Chinese tennis star after she accuses former vice-premier of sexual assault, then disappears COVID-19 Beijing under pressure for fresh probe into origins of virus after obstructed visit by WHO experts fails to find source SECURITY Olympic organisers also facing herculean task of trying to protect Games from virus – operating “closed loop” to insulate athletes from outside world China’s President Xi Jinping HISTORICAL TIMELINE OF OLYMPIC UNREST London, 1908: Some Irish athletes boycott Games, not wanting to represent Great Britain, which would not acknowledge Irish independence for another 14 years, in 1922 Berlin, 1936: After almost boycotting, U.S. coaches instead pull Jewish American athletes out of competition. Some other Jewish competitors later die in Holocaust Melbourne, 1956: Egypt, Lebanon and Iraq boycott due to Suez Crisis. China boycotts because Taiwan competes. Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland also boycott Tokyo, 1964: South Africa banned* due to apartheid. Indonesia and North Korea pull out when IOC bars athletes who competed in Games of the New Emerging Forces† Mexico City, 1968: Two American sprinters suspended from national team for giving Black Power salute on podium, in support of U.S. civil rights movement Munich, 1972: Black September terror group takes 11 Israeli team members hostage, demanding release of 234 Palestinians. All hostages die in failed rescue attempt Montreal, 1976: Twenty-eight countries boycott after IOC allows New Zealand to participate – its All Blacks rugby team had toured apartheid-era South Africa Moscow, 1980: Sixty-five countries boycott Moscow Summer Games, less than one year after Soviet Union invades Afghanistan, leaving 80 countries to compete Los Angeles, 1984: Tit-for-tat Soviet-led boycott by 14 Eastern Bloc countries and their allies – 140 nations still take part, which is record at that time 1900 1920 1940 1960 1980 2000 2020 *Ban upheld until 1992 Barcelona Games, when South Africa promised to send diverse team of athletes. †1963 Games of the New Emerging Forces (GANEFO) was short-lived competition established by Indonesia in direct competition with Olympic Games, mainly for athletes of so-called “emerging nations” Sources: Yahoo! News, Barron’s, AFP, Bloomberg Pictures: Getty Images, Associated Press, Creative Commons © GRAPHIC NEWS