Higher, Faster—Harsher: The Olympics Head to Beijing

As the summer Olympics in Tokyo wrap up, eyes are turning to the winter Olympics in Beijing – a country in the midst of the worst human rights crackdown since the Tiananmen massacre period. China is persecuting millions of Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in Xinjiang, has doubled-down on oppression in Hong Kong, all while tightening control over the media and deploying mass surveillance. For autocracies like China, the Olympics is a geo-political event that can elevate the status of the Chinese Communist Party at home and abroad. Amy Braunschweiger speaks with Director of Global Initiatives Minky Worden about what’s at risk for Olympic athletes as well as sponsors in Beijing, and how the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is dropping the ball when it comes to human rights.