Winter Olympics: Games official claims stories of human rights abuses are 'lies'

The Winter Olympics is facing renewed political controversy after a Games official dismissed claims of human rights violations against the Uyghur Muslim population as «lies».

Beijing Games spokesperson Yan Jiarong also declared that Taiwan is part of China.

The International Olympic Committee has said repeatedly that the Games should be free from politics.

Yan made her comments at a daily media briefing on Thursday.

She spoke after IOC spokesman Mark Adams was asked at a news conference about Taiwan's presence at Sunday's closing ceremony on Sunday.

Following his comments, Yan said: «There is only one China.»

Her statement reiterates China's stance towards democratically governed Taiwan, which it claims as its own «sacred» territory.

Later, she intervened when a reporter directed a question to the IOC about material from China's Xinjiang region being used in clothing.

«The so-called forced labour in Xinjiang is lies made up by deliberate groups,» Yan said.

Human rights groups have accused some textile companies who source materials from Xinjiang of ignoring abuses of the Uyghur population in the region.

China denies all accusations of abuse and has repeatedly denied claims that it runs a network of forced labour camps in Xinjiang.

Amid a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics by the United States, Britain and other Western nations over China's human rights records, the IOC has tried to keep politics out of the Beijing Games.

Athletes have been told to stick to the IOC's Rule 50, which bans political statements on the medals podium and in competitions.

The rule, slightly revised before last year's Tokyo Games to allow for some protests on the field of play if first cleared with the IOC, was thrust into the spotlight in the run-up