NBC broadcaster Mike Tirico started his Winter Olympics coverage last year in Beijing by calling out China’s alleged human rights abuses against Uyghur Muslims and acknowledged the diplomatic boycott among Western countries ahead of the Games.
Tirico opened up about addressing the serious concerns about Beijing hosting the Olympics amid accusations of genocidal actions against millions of Muslim Uyghurs.
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Sportscaster Mike Tirico hosts the Golden Goggle Awards at Faena Forum Miami Beach on Dec. 7, 2021 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
“There were things that had to be said when we were in China, and we said them, right out of the gate,” Tirico said in an episode of “The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast.” “Our first segment of our first broadcast from Beijing while we were on the ground there was all about the Uyghur population – not all about, but we addressed it right on – the Uyghur population, the Muslim issue and the treatment of the Uyghurs in China.”
Tirico said he feared China would do something screwy out of retaliation.
“In being honest, I have to say, I was concerned about if my COVID test was going to come back surprisingly positive all of a sudden after our first night in China, and we made our comments about the treatment of the Uyghurs over there,” he added.
Mike Tirico attends the Team USA Awards at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts on April 26, 2018 in Washington, D.C. (Larry French/Getty Images for USOC)
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Tirico did not fail any COVID tests while he was overseas.
The U.S., Britain, Australia, Canada and later India were among the countries that launched a diplomatic boycott against China.
The U.S., other governments and the United Nations have accused China of sweeping a million or more people from its Uyghur community and other Muslim ethnic minority groups into detention camps. Many who have been detained have said they were tortured, sexually assaulted and forced to abandon their religion and language.
A protester from the Uyghurs communities in London is seen with a huge placard to support the rally. Hongkongers in London gathered at Parliament Square on the 4th year anniversary of the Hong Kong pro-democratic movement. (Hesther Ng/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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China has denied all the accusations.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
