Protests and demonstrations
A person speaks while gathering with others in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022 for a protest ralley against the Olympic games in Bejing 2022. A coalition of human rights organizations is calling on German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock to diplomatically boycott the Winter Olympics in and around Beijing. The World Uyghur Congress (WUC), the Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV), the Tibet Initiative Germany (TID), the Ilham Tohti Initiative and the Association of Hongkongers in Germany e.V. cordially invited for a protest march from the Brandenburg Gate to the Foreign Office. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
Olympic athletes urged by activists not to criticize China

By Graham Dunbar 2 hrs ago

Austrian leader: won't go to Beijing games, but no protest

Dec. 14, 2021 02:53 AM EST
BERLIN (AP) — Austria's leader says no high-ranking politicians from his country will attend the Beijing Winter Olympics, but he says that is entirely because of...

Protesters hold protest posters during a protest against Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics by activists of the Tibetan Youth Association in Europe front of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021. (Jean-Guy Python/Keystone via AP)
Olympic leaders criticize FIFA as activists target meeting

By Graham Dunbar Dec. 11, 2021 10:12 AM EST

A visitor to the Shougang Park walks past the a sculpture for the Beijing Winter Olympics in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021. China on Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, threatened to take "firm countermeasures" if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Olympic Games. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
China dismisses UK, Canada Olympic boycott as 'farce'

Dec. 09, 2021 06:05 AM EST

Canada joins US and allies in Beijing Olympics boycott

By Rob Gillies Dec. 08, 2021 01:01 PM EST
TORONTO (AP) — Canada will join the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns...

In this grab taken from video, Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks during Prime Minister's Questions in the House of Commons, London, Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021. Johnson says no U.K. government minister will attend the Beijing Olympics. Johnson on Wednesday called it “effectively” a diplomatic boycott. Johnson was asked in the House of Commons whether the U.K. will join the United States, Australia and Lithuania in a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games. (House of Commons/PA via AP)
UK joins US, Australia in Beijing Winter Olympics boycott

By Sylvia Hui Dec. 08, 2021 07:51 AM EST

FILE - A police officer wearing a face mask and goggles to protect against COVID-19, stands near a poster of a skier on the wall at a train station in Zhangjiakou in northern China's Hebei Province, Friday, Nov. 26, 2021. China is threatening to take “firm countermeasures" if the U.S. proceeds with a diplomatic boycott of February's Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Monday accused U.S. politicians of grandstanding over the issue of not sending dignitaries to attend the events that China hopes will showcase its economic development. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)
US plans diplomatic boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

By Aamer Madhani And Alexandra Jaffe Dec. 06, 2021 12:22 PM EST

Greek torch bearer Ioannis Melissanidis, left, Olympic gold medalist in Gymnastics , passes the flame to Christos Volikakis, world Champion in Cycling, in front of ancient Parthenon temple atop of the Acropolis Hill in Athens, Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021. The flame will be transported by torch relay to Beijing, China, which will host the Feb. 4-20, 2022 Winter Olympics.(AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Rights activists urge boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics

By Nicholas Paphitis Oct. 19, 2021 03:45 AM EDT

Police officers detain protesters displaying a Tibetan flag and a banner disrupting the lighting of the Olympic flame at Ancient Olympia site, birthplace of the ancient Olympics in southwestern Greece, Monday, Oct. 18, 2021. The flame will be transported by torch relay to Beijing, China, which will host the Feb. 4-20, 2022 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Protestors disrupt flame lighting for Beijing Winter Games

By Nicholas Paphitis And Thanassis Stavrakis Oct. 18, 2021 05:37 AM EDT

Skier Ioannis Antoniou, the first torch bearer, holds an olive branch during the final rehearsal for the lighting of the Olympic flame at Ancient Olympia site, birthplace of the ancient Olympics in southwestern Greece, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. The flame will be transported by torch relay to Beijing, China, which will host the Feb. 4-20, 2022 Winter Olympics. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Weather, protest cloud Beijing flame-lighting rehearsal

By Nicholas Paphitis Oct. 17, 2021 07:03 AM EDT

Protesters raise a Tibetan flag and a banner from scaffolding at the Acropolis hill, in Athens, Greece, Sunday, Oct. 17, 2021. Three people attempted to hang a banner from the Acropolis in Athens Sunday morning in protest at the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics but were arrested before completing their mission. (AP Photo/Yorgos Karahalis)
2 arrested in Athens for protesting Beijing Olympics

By Demetris Nellas Oct. 17, 2021 04:38 AM EDT

Belarusian Olympic sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, who came to Poland fearing reprisals at home after criticizing her coaches at the Tokyo Games, holds her face mask before she talks to journalists in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)
Belarus runner used quick thinking to avoid being sent home

By Monika Scislowska And Daria Litvinova Aug. 05, 2021 06:35 AM EDT

FILE In this file photo taken on Friday, July 9, 2021, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, left, presents the national flag to the captain of Belarus National Olympic team Ivan Tikhon ahead of the Summer Olympics Games in Tokyo, Minsk, Belarus. Lukashenko, who has a keen interest in sports and served as the head of the Belarus National Olympic Committee for nearly a quarter-century before handing over the post to his older son in February, has sternly warned the country's Olympic athletes that they better show high performance. (Maxim Guchek/BelTA Pool Photo via AP, File)
EXPLAINER: What is behind Belarus athlete's Olympics crisis?

By Yuras Karmanau And Vladimir Isachenkov Aug. 04, 2021 03:47 AM EDT

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, of Belarus, runs in the women's 100-meter run at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021. Tsimanouskaya alleged her Olympic team tried to remove her from Japan in a dispute that led to a standoff Sunday, Aug. 1, at Tokyo’s main airport. An activist group supporting Tsimanouskaya said she believed her life was in danger in Belarus and would seek asylum with the Austrian embassy in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Belarus sprinter says punishment awaited her back home

By Daniel Kozin And Daria Litvinova Aug. 03, 2021 05:10 AM EDT

Krystsina Tsimanouskaya, of Belarus, runs in the women's 100-meter run at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 30, 2021. Tsimanouskaya alleged her Olympic team tried to remove her from Japan in a dispute that led to a standoff Sunday, Aug. 1, at Tokyo’s main airport. An activist group supporting Tsimanouskaya said she believed her life was in danger in Belarus and would seek asylum with the Austrian embassy in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Poland grants visa to Belarus Olympian who fears for safety

By Graham Dunbar Aug. 02, 2021 05:16 AM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2018, file photo, John Carlos, left, and Tommie Smith pose for a photo in front of statue that honors their iconic, black-gloved protest at the 1968 Olympic Games, on the campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, Calif. Smith, Carlos and Gwen Berry are among the more than 150 educators, activists and athletes who signed a letter Thursday, July 22, 2021, urging the IOC not to punish participants who demonstrate at the Tokyo Games. ( (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
Smith, Carlos, Berry demand change in Olympic protest rule

By Eddie Pells Jul. 22, 2021 10:50 AM EDT

FILE - In this Oct. 17, 2018, file photo, a statue in honor of former Olympians Tommie Smith, left, and John Carlos is seen on the campus of San Jose State University in San Jose, Calif. Smith and Carlos raised their black-gloved fists while their national anthem played during the 200-meters medals ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics in 1968. Rule 50 of the IOC charter states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.” (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)
EXPLAINER: What's the history of the Olympics protest rule?

By Eddie Pells Jul. 22, 2021 01:37 AM EDT

Megan Rapinoe, second right, and her teammates warm up at a training session of United States women's soccer team at Prince Takamado Memorial JFA YUME Field Saturday, July 17, 2021, in Chiba, near Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Long-banned athlete protest acts expected at Tokyo Olympics

By Graham Dunbar Jul. 20, 2021 11:02 AM EDT

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach offers flowers to Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph during his visit Friday, July 16, 2021, in Hiroshima, western Japan. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, Pool)
IOC's Bach gets mixed reaction in one-day visit to Hiroshima

By Haruka Nuga And Mari Yamaguchi Jul. 16, 2021 02:33 AM EDT

The large Olympic rings are displayed in the Odaiba section of Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 14, 2021. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
Britain women's soccer team will take a knee at Olympics

By Rob Harris Jul. 15, 2021 04:16 AM EDT