<p id="thickbox_headline">The Olympic flame arrived in China early Wednesday for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, state media reported, following a ceremony in Athens overshadowed by protests over China's human rights record.</p>.<p>The flame was expected to go on display at a ceremony at the Beijing Olympic Tower before going on an exhibition tour, state media and the International Olympic Committee said.</p>.<p>Around 2,900 athletes, representing approximately 85 National Olympic Committees, will compete in the Winter Games between 4 and 20 February 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="http://Protests in Athens as Beijing prepares for Olympic flame Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/protests-in-athens-as-beijing-prepares-for-olympic-flame-1041426.html" target="_blank">Protests in Athens as Beijing prepares for Olympic flame </a></strong></p>.<p>The flame was lit in Athens on Monday and transferred the following day to the organisers of the Beijing Games, but the lighting ceremony was disrupted by activists.</p>.<p>Protesters urged the IOC to postpone the event, arguing that China was perpetrating "genocide" against Uyghurs and Tibetans.</p>.<p>During the lighting ceremony in Olympia on Monday, activists unfurled a Tibetan flag and a banner that read "no genocide" at the Games. A similar protest was held at the Acropolis in Athens on Sunday.</p>.<p>Human rights campaigners and exiles say the Chinese central government practises religious repression, torture, forced sterilisation and cultural erosion through forced re-education.</p>.<p>Campaigners believe that at least one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang.</p>.<p>After initially denying the existence of the Xinjiang camps, China later defended them as vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism.</p>.<p>There have also been calls for athletes and governments to boycott the Games.</p>.<p>IOC chairman Thomas Bach has batted off talk of a potential boycott, claiming the International Olympic Committee's political neutrality and saying it was up to governments to live up to their responsibilities.</p>.<p>A victim of the 1980 Moscow Games boycott, the former fencer has said such moves only punish athletes, and insists the IOC is addressing the rights issue "within our remit".</p>
<p id="thickbox_headline">The Olympic flame arrived in China early Wednesday for the Beijing 2022 Winter Games, state media reported, following a ceremony in Athens overshadowed by protests over China's human rights record.</p>.<p>The flame was expected to go on display at a ceremony at the Beijing Olympic Tower before going on an exhibition tour, state media and the International Olympic Committee said.</p>.<p>Around 2,900 athletes, representing approximately 85 National Olympic Committees, will compete in the Winter Games between 4 and 20 February 2022.</p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="http://Protests in Athens as Beijing prepares for Olympic flame Read more at: https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/protests-in-athens-as-beijing-prepares-for-olympic-flame-1041426.html" target="_blank">Protests in Athens as Beijing prepares for Olympic flame </a></strong></p>.<p>The flame was lit in Athens on Monday and transferred the following day to the organisers of the Beijing Games, but the lighting ceremony was disrupted by activists.</p>.<p>Protesters urged the IOC to postpone the event, arguing that China was perpetrating "genocide" against Uyghurs and Tibetans.</p>.<p>During the lighting ceremony in Olympia on Monday, activists unfurled a Tibetan flag and a banner that read "no genocide" at the Games. A similar protest was held at the Acropolis in Athens on Sunday.</p>.<p>Human rights campaigners and exiles say the Chinese central government practises religious repression, torture, forced sterilisation and cultural erosion through forced re-education.</p>.<p>Campaigners believe that at least one million Uyghurs and other Turkic-speaking, mostly Muslim minorities have been incarcerated in camps in Xinjiang.</p>.<p>After initially denying the existence of the Xinjiang camps, China later defended them as vocational training centres aimed at reducing the appeal of Islamic extremism.</p>.<p>There have also been calls for athletes and governments to boycott the Games.</p>.<p>IOC chairman Thomas Bach has batted off talk of a potential boycott, claiming the International Olympic Committee's political neutrality and saying it was up to governments to live up to their responsibilities.</p>.<p>A victim of the 1980 Moscow Games boycott, the former fencer has said such moves only punish athletes, and insists the IOC is addressing the rights issue "within our remit".</p>