If we rail against China for their human rights abuses, what does that mean for for their Olympians?

I think it’s great that we are talking about China’s human rights abuses. I also think it’s great that athletes are speaking out on the world stage about them. But this raises a host of questions in my mind. <br><br>The Chinese government is responsible for the human rights abuses, but does that make Chinese citizens complicit in them? Or guilty by association? The Iranian government is guilty of human rights abuses. The Iranian soccer team spoke out against their government. The Iranian people are not their government. <br><br>This also makes me think about Russian athletes. After Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian and Belarusian athletes were banned from competing. They lost their sponsorship and livelihood. Many of them spoke out against the invasion. Many did not. What does that mean for them? Many left Russia and are in exile. There is a lot of talk about letting Russian and Belarusian athletes compete as neutrals. But again, how do you prove that someone is “neutral”? What burden of proof is placed on an athlete to prove they are not complicit or supportive of the invasion? It’s a very slippery slope that threatens to politicize sports in a way that undermines their purpose.