Today Show host Savannah Guthrie is receiving backlash after comments she made during the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympic Games, seemingly praising the Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping’s choice of an Uyghur athlete to light the Olympic flame.
"This moment is quite provocative, it’s a statement from the Chinese President Xi Jinping to choose an athlete from the Uyghur minority. It is an in-your-face response to those Western nations, including the US, who have called this Chinese treatment of that group genocide, and diplomatically boycotted these games," Guthrie said.
According to Deadline, the athletes chosen to light the torch were cross-country skier Dinigeer Yilamujiang and Nordic combined competitor Zhao Jiawen. Yilamujiang is a member of the Uyghur minority.
"The Comcast-owned NBC now has to work within potential thorny jurisdictional circumstances. Leaning in too hard to the realities of Xi’s unsparing reign could see the network iced out fast. Skating over the repressive rule, eroding liberties and widespread allegations of genocide against the Uyghur population and other mainly-Muslim ethnic groups would be a slap in the face to human rights and bipartisan stances at home," Deadline wrote.
This morning, Guthrie elaborated on the situation in China, stating "There is unquestionably more controversy and complications around these Games than any in our lifetime… The question of politics, always an undeniable part of the games, but here much, much more intensely."
Twitter users called out Guthrie, saying that her comments are covering up the Uyghur genocide occurring in the eastern portion of China.
"Here's how I would've framed it, commenting on the moment: "Xi is trying to manipulate the world with this twisted move," wrote Mediate writer Jackson Richman.
WATCH: @SavannahGuthrie calls a reported Uyghur co-lighting the Olympic flame, chosen by Xi Jinping, “an in-your-face response to those Western nations, including the U.S., who have called this Chinese treatment of that group genocide and diplomatically boycotted these games.” pic.twitter.com/NBRtIOROJt
— Jackson Richman (@jacksonrichman) February 4, 2022
“mostly peaceful genocide” https://t.co/BjP9dnhUl6
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) February 4, 2022
NBC already completely embarrassing itself and we’re only like an hour into this https://t.co/6OwZyyS7Jf
— Jerry Dunleavy (@JerryDunleavy) February 4, 2022
How it shld be covered: “We are watching a cruel display of Chinese Communist propaganda. We know that the CCP is engaged in a genocide of these people. Truly a breathtakingly dark move for the Olympics.” https://t.co/L8gJw1oBJO
— Rebeccah Heinrichs (@RLHeinrichs) February 4, 2022
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