The Financial Times reported that many multinational companies sponsoring the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games are evading questions about their participation as China comes under the spotlight over human rights issues.
The FT said that letters from human rights groups have gone unanswered and that 11 of the 13 companies that have major sponsorship deals with the International Olympic Committee that include the Beijing games did not comment when asked by the FT if they were reconsidering their plans.
It said that they include Coca-Cola, Visa and Airbnb from the US, Panasonic and Toyota from Japan, and Samsung from South Korea. Allianz, the German insurer, defended its position, saying its presence in nations with a “different view of human rights” contributed to “prosperity and security”. Omega, the Swiss watchmaker, said it was focused on the athletes and its traditional role as the official timekeeper for the Olympics.
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