State Department considering joint boycott of 2022 Beijing Olympics

A spokesperson for the U.S. Olympic Committee did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

“We’re talking about 2022, and we are still in April of 2021, so these Games remain some time away,” Price said. “I wouldn’t want to put a time frame on it, but these discussions are underway.”

In a tweet after the briefing, Price said that the State Department didn’t have an announcement regarding the Olympics, but would “continue to consult closely with allies and partners to define our common concerns and establish our shared approach to the PRC.”

The Beijing Winter Games begin on February 4 next year.

Hawkish Republicans in the last month have called on the Biden administration to punish the Chinese government over its human rights abuses, but even within the GOP, there has been disagreement over how far to push with the Olympics. Some have called for boycotts, while others have suggested moving the Games to a different host country.

Earlier Tuesday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) said President Joe Biden should request the relocation of the 2022 Olympics to the United States. Scott, who has been advocating for a potential move since 2019, said it was hypocritical for Biden to support last week’s efforts to move Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game out of Georgia over its newly passed voting law, but not take a stand on the Olympics.

“It is now time for President Biden to lead America and the world and make clear that the United States will never tolerate the oppression and genocide occurring in Communist China,” Scott said.

Natasha Bertrand contributed to this report.