NBA star Enes Kanter calls for boycott of Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in latest protest

Boston Celtics centre blasts ‘insecure tyrant Xi Jinping’ in another shoe-based demonstration against Chinese government

Kanter’s shoes also feature white Bauhinia on a black background – an image associated with Hong Kong’s anti-government protests

Reading Time:3 minutes

The shoes of Boston Celtics centre Enes Kanter as seen during the pregame warm-up before playing the Washington Wizards in the NBA at Capital One Arena in Washington on October 30. Photo: Geoff Burke-USA Today Sports

Published: 11:23am, 1 Nov 2021Updated: 4:11pm, 5 Nov 2021

Boston Celtics star Enes Kanter has called for a boycott of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics in his latest demonstration against China’s perceived human rights abuses.

“The genocidal Chinese government and the insecure tyrant behind it all XI JINPING must not be allowed to host the upcoming Winter Olympics,” Kanter wrote in a tweet posted on Sunday (Hong Kong time).

“Say NO to Beijing 2022!!” the NBA centre added, as he continued his series of shoe-based demonstrations in collaboration with artists, such as the dissident Shanghai-born and Australia-based cartoonist Badiucao.

Kanter’s call for a boycott of the Winter Games, which are less than 100 days away, came alongside photographs of his latest pair of customised shoes protesting China’s government. The shoes, which he wore in Saturday night’s game against the Washington Wizards, were designed by Tibetan-American artist Khenzom Alling.

Kanter’s shoes featured the slogans “No Beijing 2022”, “No Rights No Games”, and “Move The Games” along with images of the flags of East Turkestan, Tibet and a white Bauhinia on a black background – an image associated with Hong Kong’s anti-government protests – among others.

Select Voice

Choose your listening speed

Get through articles 2x faster

1.25x

250 WPM

Slow

Average

Fast

00:0000:00

1.25x