Meghan McCain has slammed the 2022 Winter Olympics, branding them the "Genocide Games" over China's human rights abuses.
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The 37-year-old took to social media to share an image designed by Chinese artist badiucao, which was created in protest of the host country. It showed an ice hockey player wearing the Chinese flag with blood on their stick and mask as they knocked over a Tibetan monk.
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"I will not watch one minute of the @Beijing2022," she captioned her post, adding the hashtag, "#GenocideGames."
On Twitter, she expanded on her opinion, writing: "There is no reason to watch a Winter Olympics that is holding up and spreading propaganda for a regime that is committing actual genocide and ethnic cleansing - on top of poisoning the world and killing 6 million people. Absolute shame on the international community for this."
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Fans however were torn as many shared their desire to cheer on Team USA who had "worked very hard to get to the Olympics".
"I felt that way but feel for the American athletes. Want to show them support," one said.
Meghan shared this artwork with fans
China has come under international fire for their continued oppresion of the Tibetan people, the Uyghur genocide, the government's surveillance systems, and the attempts to dismantle democracy in Hong Kong.
In late 2021 it was confirmed the US government would allow athletes to attend the games but no US diplomats have been sent as part of a boycott.
"We will not be contributing to the fanfare of the Games," Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said in late 2021, adding that government officials did not believe it was appropriate.
The pair will not be in Beijing
The games will also look different for viewers at home as Today Show anchors who are usually among the many NBC stars who travel for the games but have been forced to alter plans amid the pandemic and ongoing fears of a resurgence.
Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie also both recently suffered from the virus, and fear that they may test positive again while in China.
They instead anchored coverage of the Opening Ceremony from New York. Both were sent to Tokyo in 2021 for the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics but this year, the team will mostly report from the studio's Stamford facility and 30 Rock in Manhattan.
The program will also set up "Olympic Plaza" outside their Rockefeller Center studio where Team USA athletes will be interviewed on their return. Today anchor Craig Melvin will represent the morning show in Beijing across the two weeks, while Mike Tirico will also be in the Chinese city for the Opening Ceremony and the first few days of the game.
Live coverage of the Winter Olympics begins Friday at 6.30am/7.30c on NBC.
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