A coalition of more than 160 human rights groups has urged the International Olympic Committee to revoke its decision for China to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, citing a litany of allegations about abuses committed by Chinese authorities.

The coalition released a letter on Tuesday, arguing that China had stepped up domestic repression by persecuting religious communities in Xinjiang and Tibet, and recently, had undermined Hong Kong’s autonomy with the introduction of a national security law, according to a Reuters report.

“The IOC must recognise that the Olympic spirit and the reputation of the Olympic Games will suffer further damage if the worsening human rights crisis, across all areas under China’s control, is simply ignored,” the letter said.

It also alleged that the central government was trying to eliminate Mongolian culture by introducing a new education policy this month. Primary and secondary students in the new school term are to start learning three subjects in Mandarin Chinese instead of the native Mongolian language.

China was also keeping up its threatening posture on Taiwan, which it considered a renegade province, through military intimidation, it added.

Uighur, Tibetan, Hong Kong and Mongolian rights groups based on all continents are among the letter’s signatories.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian on Wednesday rejected the coalition’s call, saying that the letter was an attempt to politicize sports. Policies implemented in Xinjiang, Tibet and Hong Kong were key to maintaining national security and social stability, he added.

IOC president Thomas Bach said after an online meeting on Wednesday that he hoped that COVID-19 vaccines from China could help with planning for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, and the 2022 Winter Olympics.

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