INTERNATIONAL Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach said Wednesday that the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics should not be used to raise global tensions and the athletes’ participation is worldwide consensus.

Bach expressed concerns about the athlete’s participation after the United States announced not to send government officials to attend Beijing 2022 under the pretext of human rights. He welcomed all the support for the Olympic teams to give athletes certainty at a digital press conference after the IOC Executive Board meeting Wednesday.

“This is in full accordance with the approval by consensus of all the U.N. member states supporting the Olympic Truce Resolution,” said the 67-year-old president. “The presence of government officials is a political decision. Political neutrality applies and IOC won’t take a side.”

According to Bach, IOC organizes the Games to unite the world, not to divide it.

“We are living in this confrontational, divisive world where the tensions are rising high. If the Games would even contribute to the tensions, it would be absolutely contrary to our mission,” said Bach.

Bach believed there is no doubt that the Chinese partners would deliver the commitments like what they have achieved in the testing events.

Meanwhile, Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr., chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for Beijing 2022, said Tuesday that the IOC and the Beijing 2022 Organizing Committee have been in constant contact, and everything is very much on track.

Beijing 2022 and the IOC reemphasized the importance of COVID-19 countermeasures, and the commitment to delivering safe and secure Games will be supported by the imminent publication of the second edition of the Beijing 2022 Playbook. (Xinhua)