The boycott would be diplomatic, allowing athletes while holding back government officials.

According to a senior administration official within the Biden Administration that spoke to CNN, the White House is planning on announcing a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Rather than a full boycott, which would pull out any and all US citizens from the event, a diplomatic boycott would only withhold US government officials from the event, while still allowing US Olympic athletes to compete.

This follows statements made by President Joe Biden last month that he was considering such a ban on the advisories of various US lawmakers. China has been accused of multiple human rights violations over the past year, including the treatment of Uyghurs, leading to calls for culpability. Sports-related boycotts in particular entered the dialogue after the brief disappearance and subsequent reappearance of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai following her accusations of sexual assault against a former CCP official.

Following the release of the administration official’s statement, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a warning against a boycott. “The Winter Olympics is not a stage for political show and political manipulation,” spokesman Zhao Lijian said during a news briefing, adding that a boycott would be “a serious stain on the spirit of the Olympic Charter,” as well as “a naked political provocation, and a serious offense to the 1.4 billion Chinese people.” Zhao also warned that a boycott would incur “resolute countermeasures.”