Paralympic Body Asks China Why it Censored Anti-War Speech

(Bloomberg) -- The International Paralympic Committee is demanding answers from China’s state broadcaster after an impassioned, anti-war speech by its head appeared to have been censored during the Beijing winter games opening ceremony on Friday evening.

“We are aware of reports and have asked CCTV for an explanation,” an IPC spokesperson said Saturday. CCTV could not be immediately reached for comment outside office hours Saturday.

Paralympics President Andrew Parsons told the audience, which included Chinese President Xi Jinping, that he was “horrified” at what was happening in the world, in an apparent reference to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

China has avoided taking a clear stance against the invasion, while upholding Ukraine’s sovereignty. The IPC was also involved in controversy before the games. It reversed a decision to let Russia and Belarus participate after “multiple” athletes threatened a boycott that could have halted the event.

“The 21st century is a time for dialog and diplomacy, not war and hate,” Parsons said, adding that the Olympic Truce for peace during the Olympic and Paralympic Games is a UN Resolution. “It must be respected and observed, not violated.”

The part where Parsons condemned the war was not translated into Chinese in a live broadcast by CCTV. Instead, a Chinese announcer talked over Parsons and read a later part of his translated statement. When it came to the part about the truce, CCTV appeared to have lowered the volume so that Parsons’ remarks became inaudible. 

Prior to Russia’s military attack on Ukraine, China’s foreign ministry repeatedly touted the Olympic Truce for peace and condemned the U.S. and a few other countries for “pitting themselves against the big Olympic family” by not sponsoring the resolution.

Mark Dreyer, author of “Sporting Superpower: An Insider’s View on China’s Quest to Be the Best,” described the chain of events as a “blatant, pre-planned attempt to control the message.” 

“China’s determination to remain on the fence coupled with a seeming inability to distinguish between being anti-war and anti-Russian is at odds with its desire to be a global leader, whether in the world of sports or in the world as whole,” he said. 

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With assistance from Bloomberg