Swiss perspectives in 10 languages

Swiss government stays away from Beijing Olympics after all

Olympic Tower reflected in a window with logo of the Beijing Winter Games
Nearly 170 Swiss athletes are due to attend the Winter Games which begin next week. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved

The Swiss government says it will not attend the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing due to begin next week.

The pandemic situation in Switzerland and the health restrictions imposed by the Chinese authorities to contain the spread of the coronavirus made substantive bilateral meetings and contacts with athletes impossible, the government saidExternal link.

It added that the cabinet members would instead “cheer on the Swiss athletes from home”.

The Games are due to take place from February 4-13, and nearly 170 Swiss athletes are expected to participate.

The decision, announced on Wednesday, reverses an initial statement by the government two weeks ago.

The government spokesperson said the move was not politically motivated.

Rights organisations and left-wing parliamentarians have called on the Swiss government to follow other western countries in boycotting the Games over China’s treatment of ethnic minorities and democracy activists.

Most Read
Swiss Abroad

Most Discussed

News

No Swiss bank in phase with environmental objectives

More

Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF

This content was published on None of the 15 major Swiss retail banks is meeting international climate and biodiversity targets, according to a ranking by WWF Switzerland.

Read more: Swiss banks failing environment, says WWF
UNRWA provides emergency assistance to just over one million Palestine refugees, or about 75 per cent of all Palestine refugees in Gaza, who lack the financial means to cover their basic food.

More

Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

This content was published on The only alternative to the UN Palestinian agency’s work in Gaza is to allow Israel to run services there, Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA Commissioner-General, told reporters in Geneva on Monday.

Read more: Lazzarini: no alternative to UNRWA in Gaza

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative

You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!

If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR

SWI swissinfo.ch - a branch of Swiss Broadcasting Corporation SRG SSR