IOC Evaluators Visit Beijing 2022 Bid Sites; China Fires Back On Human Rights

IOC evaluators "began a five-day inspection tour of Beijing's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics on Tuesday as Chinese organizers fired back at critics of the government's human rights record," according to Christopher Bodeen of the AP. The IOC inspection "is a key test of Beijing's status as a front-runner in the bid race against Almaty, Kazakhstan." The 19-member IOC evaluation commission visited Beijing's indoor sites for hockey, skating and curling, "along with the iconic Bird's Nest stadium used for the 2008 Summer Games." As they did in the run-up to the 2008 Summer Olympics, human rights groups "have argued that the communist government's restrictions on civil and political liberties make it an unfit candidate to host the games." Bid spokesperson Wang Hui responded Tuesday by defending China's record in improving living standards for its citizens and described bid opponents as "certain individuals who will seize the opportunity to serve their own interests and purposes" (AP, 3/24).