Monday, December 6th, 2021
“Last reputation playful”
Violent controversy over Bach’s IOC diplomacy
In the case of tennis player Peng Shuai, who has temporarily disappeared, IOC boss Thomas Bach operates his own kind of diplomacy. For this, the powerful sports official has received heavy criticism. The talk is of the loss of the “last vestiges of reputation”.
In the affair of tennis player Peng Shuai, according to an expert, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has suffered great damage from the behavior of its President Thomas Bach. “He is gambling away the last remnants of the Olympic movement’s reputation, at least in the West,” said sports philosopher Gunter Gebauer of the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. Bach’s conversation with the Chinese Peng Shuai, whose current situation is unclear, was “a pure embarrassment, a pure mockery”, criticized Gebauer.
The 35-year-old tennis player published allegations of sexual assault by a top Chinese politician on the Weibo social network in early November. Your message was deleted soon after. Since then, athletes, politicians and human rights activists have voiced concerns for Peng Shuai’s well-being. The women’s tour WTA recently announced that it would suspend all tournaments in China and Hong Kong. In view of this example, Gebauer raised the question: “Why doesn’t Bach do it that way too?” The IOC did not mention the tennis player’s allegations in its communications after a video link between Bach and Peng Shuai and referred to “silent diplomacy”.
“Bach tries in his usual way to keep his shop together and to keep tactics so as not to lose influence with the Chinese,” suggested Gebauer. Beijing will host the Winter Games in February. This makes the matter particularly explosive. “The President of the IOC is not an advocate for human rights, but the IOC,” said Gebauer. Bach does everything “to save his games”.
IOC sees itself on “the most promising path”
The IOC had defended its approach over the past week. “There are various ways to ensure their well-being and safety,” said those responsible. “We took a very human and person-centered approach.” The path of “discreet diplomacy” is “the most promising path” under the given circumstances. Bach had spoken to the tennis player on the phone, and the IOC later announced: “The main purpose of the call was to inquire about the welfare and safety of Peng Shuai,” the statement said. “Protecting the well-being of athletes is of paramount importance to the IOC and the Olympic Movement. We agreed to keep in touch and she agreed to meet in Beijing in January.”
The Global Athlete athletes association threw the The IOC pretends to be complicit in the malicious propaganda of the Chinese authorities and their lack of interest in basic human rights and justice. With its stance on the matter, the IOC has once again proven that it “lets athletes down, stands on the side of violent authoritarian regimes and ignores human rights,” said Global Athlete.
“I was relieved to see that Peng Shuai was fine, which was our main concern. She seemed relaxed. I offered her our support and offered to keep in touch at all times, which she obviously appreciated,” said Emma Terho according to the IOC announcement. At the end of the conversation, Bach invited Peng Shuai to dinner as soon as he arrived in Beijing next January. You have accepted the invitation, it was said by the IOC. By inviting Peng to dinner, Bach mocked the “deadly serious situation, which unfortunately is very familiar to many female athletes”. The IOC is “in dangerous waters,” said Amnesty International. One should not take part in actions that whitewash possible human rights violations.
DOSB boss warns of boycott
Thomas Weikert, the new President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), had meanwhile criticized the designated Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock for her statement about a possible boycott of the Winter Olympic Games. “Ms. Baerbock should just leave the church in the village, I’ll make that very clear,” said Weikert on the Saturday after his election: “A boycott has never helped anyone. That would be really unfair to the athletes who are now like that have prepared for a long time. “
Last week, in an interview with the “taz”, Greens boss Baerbock approached the boycott issue. “When I see how China’s leadership deals with tennis player Peng Shuai or with the arrested citizen journalist Zhang Zhan, we should of course also take a closer look at the Olympic Games. There are different ways for governments to deal with them in the coming weeks certainly to be discussed. ”