Zali Steggall rejects Beijing boycott

Independent MP and former Olympian Zali Steggall says Australia staging a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics could shut down communication channels.

Independent MP Zali Steggall. Picture: Gary Ramage

Independent MP and former Olympian Zali Steggall says Australia staging a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics to denounce China’s human rights abuses could shut down communication channels.

The federal government is facing growing calls across the political divide to boycott the games, which kick off in ­February.

Concerns for Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, who dis­appeared from public view after alleging that she was sexually ­assaulted by a former senior Communist Party official, have revitalised calls for the boycott, despite Beijing urging against a politicisation of the Olympics.

Ms Steggall – a four-time Olympian who won Australia’s first Winter Games individual medal at Nagano in 1998 – said human rights abuses in China and the consequences of a diplomatic boycott should be debated.

“The Olympic Games can open the door for better diplomatic relations and at the end of the day, we can’t resolve or progress any of these issues by ­shutting the door to communication,” she said.

“I don’t think it’s in anyone’s interests that we have an escalation of conflict.

“There should be further discussion as to what could be achieved by such a diplomatic boycott.”

A diplomatic boycott means Australia would not send any government representatives or embassy officials to the Games but athletes and their support staff would still travel to Beijing.

Ms Steggall pointed to her experience as an arbitrator for the International Court of Arbitration for Sport at the PyeongChang Olympic Games in South Korea, which she said opened communication channels with North Korea.

“We saw sporting teams across the borders and some reunification that hadn’t occurred in years,” she said.

Ms Steggall has previously rejected the proposal to stage an athletes boycott.

“We are happy to trade with China so it is hypocritical to make athletes pay the price for diplomatic policy,” she said.

“As an athlete, my world was all about performance, and you have this one opportunity every four years to perform at your best.

“These are lifelong dreams. It’s really important to remember that those calling for athlete boycotts are doing so from the sidelines, and they mightn’t appreciate the impact on athletes that comes from putting them in the middle.”

The US and the United Kingdom are considering a diplomatic boycott of the games to denounce China’s record on human rights abuses.

In July, the British parliament voted unanimously to stage a diplomatic boycott of what MPs labelled China’s “Genocide Games”.

The vote, which called on the government to not send any representatives to the competition – including members of the royal family – is not binding.