Peng Shuai expected inside Beijing bubble as athletes find their snow feet

BEIJING: The Olympics chief on Thursday (Feb 3) pledged to support Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai if she asks for an investigation into her treatment when he meets with her inside Beijing's "closed-loop" at the Winter Games.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach promised the governing body would support an inquiry if requested by Peng, whose well-being sparked international concern when she alleged that former Chinese vice premier Zhang Gaoli had sexually assaulted her.

Bach's revelation of Peng's impending appearance inside a virtual bubble created to keep Games participants separate from the public came on the eve of an opening ceremony expected to be almost devoid of Western leaders, many of whom are protesting China's human rights record in a diplomatic boycott.

Games organisers on Thursday said they believed the opening ceremony at the Bird's Nest stadium would turn attention away from the boycott and criticism over human rights, focusing the world's attention back on Olympic sports.

Hundreds of Tibetan activists marched on the IOC on Thursday, accusing the Swiss-based organisation of complicity in "atrocities" against ethnic minorities in China.

China denies allegations of human rights abuses and says it opposes the "politicisation" of sports.

The Games also continued to be overshadowed by the threat of war in Ukraine, even as some leaders friendly to Beijing began to trickle in Thursday.

Russia's Vladimir Putin was expected to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday for bilateral talks on energy and trade before eating lunch together and then attending the opening ceremony.

Putin, in an interview with China's state media ahead of his arrival, said he was most looking forward to watching