Tibet groups urge IOC to reject Beijing '22 Winter Games bid

AP

LONDON (AP) — Tibetan activists have delivered a report to IOC leaders urging them to reject Beijing's bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

A coalition of more than 175 Tibet organizations say they sent a report to International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach underlining that the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing failed to improve human rights in China.

The 12-page report says repression in Tibet is "currently at an all-time high." It says giving the Olympics to China again would be "making the same mistake twice."

Beijing is competing against Almaty, Kazakhstan, for the right to host the 2022 Games. Kazakhstan has also been criticized for its human rights record.

The Tibet groups say the IOC should reject Beijing and consider the Almaty bid "with extreme caution."

An IOC evaluation panel will visit Beijing next week. The full IOC will select the host city on July 31.