Winter Olympians criticise China over human rights record as Beijing Games come to an end

With the Beijing Winter Olympics coming to a close, athletes who had previously held their tongues on China’s human rights record are now speaking out.

At least three prominent athletes have criticised the host country, but others are being urged to avoid doing so until they leave the country over fears they could be prosecuted.

“The Olympic Village was very nice. The Chinese people I met were absolutely amazing,” speed skater Nils van der Poel, twice a gold medallist in Beijing, told Sportbladet upon his return home to Sweden.

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“The Olympics is a lot, it’s a fantastic sporting event where you unite the world and nations meet.

“(But) I think it is extremely irresponsible to give it to a country that violates human rights as blatantly as the Chinese regime is doing.

“I really think it’s terrible, but I think I shouldn’t say too much about it, because we still have a squad in China.”

Gus Kenworthy, a British freeskier who took silver in Sochi before his swansong at these Games, took a similar position and highlighted his concerns for China’s LGBT community, as an openly gay man himself.

“I am absolutely a fan of the Olympics,” Kenworthy said after coming eighth in the halfpipe final on Saturday.

“I also think, that being said, because it’s the world stage and everyone is watching, there is an opportunity to create positive change and the IOC could help dictate that change by pushing on certain issues. Those issues are human rights issues.

“When there’s human rights and the country’s stance on LGBT, those issues should be taken into consideration by the IOC (in selecting host nations).”

Natalie Geisenberger, Germany’s luge champion who