Beijing Winter Olympics 2022: Indian Envoy To Not Attend Opening Or Closing Ceremony, Says MEA

“Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics,” ANI quoted Bagchi as saying on reports of China making the Galwan soldier the torchbearer for the Winter Olympics.

MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi (Image: ANI)

New Delhi: Asserting it is “regrettable” that China has chosen to “politicise” the Winter Olympics, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Thursday said the Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the event.

MEA official spokesperson Arindam Bagchi expressed New Delhi’s displeasure over Beijing’s decision to make an army officer, who was injured during the border skirmish with the Indian troops in the Galwan Valley, the Winter Olympics’ torchbearer.

“Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics,” ANI quoted Bagchi as saying on reports of China making the Galwan soldier the torchbearer for the Winter Olympics.

“The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics,” he added.

After the MEA’s announcement, Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati said Doordarshan will not telecast the opening and closing ceremonies of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

“Consequent to the announcement by @meaindia, @ddsportschannel will not telecast live the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing,” he tweeted.

China has selected People’s Liberation Army (PLA) regiment commander Qi Fabao to carry the torch at this week’s Winter Olympics relay in Beijing.

Qi Fabao, the regimental commander from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Xinjiang military command, suffered a serious head injury during the Galwan Valley border skirmish on June 15, 2020.

Qi took the flame from Wang Meng, China's four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion, at Winter Olympic Park on Wednesday, The Global Times reported.

The United States and several other western nations are staging a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Olympics, which opens on Friday, over human rights concerns relating to China’s treatment of Uyghurs in the Xinjiang region.