BEIJING (NEXSTAR) – It’s customary for countries to send diplomats to the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games, but this year, there was no American Delegation in the stands.
The U.S. says it is not business as usual with China and that is why they did not send a delegation to Beijing.
The National Stadium, or the bird’s nest, was filled with red, white and blue during the opening ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics on Friday. But that ended with the athletes.
“We were very opposed to having the athletes bear the burden of trying to send the message that the government wanted to send,” said Susanne Lyons, USOPC Board Chair.
To send that message, the White House announced in December that there would be no diplomatic delegation in Beijing.
“Not sending a U.S. delegation sends a clear message that we cannot conduct ourselves with business as usual, that we are not in a state where business as usual is appropriate, at a time where there are human rights abuses,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
Psaki said – even without the delegation – the athletes have their full support. “We believe U.S. athletes, people who have been training, giving up a lot of blood, sweat and tears preparing for these Olympics should be able to go compete and we look forward to cheering them on from home.”
U.S. Olympic officials agree.
“We think that the athletes should be able to do what they do best, which is come together with other athletes from around the world in a demonstration of peace and harmony,” added Lyons.
USOPC Board Chair Susanne Lyons says they are working with the Biden administration to bring athletes from Tokyo and Beijing to the White House, once it’s safe to do so.