WASHINGTON — Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., called on the Biden administration Thursday to boycott the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing in February because of security risks and China's human rights abuses.
"I call on the Biden administration to mount a complete and total boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics — no athletes, no administration officials, no corporate sponsors," said Cotton, a member of the Intelligence Committee.
There have been bipartisan calls in Congress for a diplomatic boycott, which would prevent U.S. government officials from attending the Games, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, who oversaw the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, also called for an economic boycott, meaning U.S. corporations would not sponsor Olympic activities and U.S. spectators would be asked not to attend, although he has said he believes athletes should still be able to compete.
Asked Thursday about the possibility of a boycott at a meeting in the Oval Office with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Biden said it was "something we are considering."
In calling for a complete boycott, including by athletes, Cotton said the Biden administration has "no plan" to protect U.S. athletes, their coaches and their staff members at the Olympics from the dangers posed by China.
He alleged a number of security issues, such as "ubiquitous surveillance," including in bathroom facilities and on electronic devices.
"We should boycott these Games because of China's crimes against the United States and the civilized world and its own people," he said, citing China's treatment of the Uyghur population. The Biden administration this year slapped sanctions on two Chinese government officials over the mistreatment of the country's ethnic minorities.
Cotton added that "it's probably too little, too late" for any sort of legislative effort to boycott the Olympics. He said he believed the administration will soon announce a diplomatic boycott.
Three members of Congress introduced a resolution in February calling for the U.S. to boycott the Games if the International Olympic Committee were to keep them in Beijing.
