Indian diplomats not to attend opening and closing ceremonies of Beijing Winter Olympics

New Delhi, February 3, 2022

Indian diplomats in Beijing will not attend the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, to be held in the Chinese capital from February 4-20, after reports that China had included a Galwan soldier one of the torchbearers for the opening ceremony.

Shortly after, Prasar Bharati announced here on Thursday that its DD Sports channel would not carry live telecast of the two ceremonies.

"Consequent to the announcement by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) @meaindia, @ddsportschannel will not telecast live the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics being held in Beijing," Shashi Shekhar Vempati, CEO, Prasar Bharati, said on Twitter.

Earlier on Thursday, the MEA had said that it is regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics.

"The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said on reports of China.

The soldier in question, who has been identified as Qi Fabao, is reportedly a regimental commander of the People's Liberation Army (PLA).

Fabao was grievously injured during the bloody clash between the PLA and Indian troopers in the Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June 2020.

IANS