Beijing Winter Olympics: Indian envoy won`t attend event over Galwan soldier row

`Regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics. The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics,` said MEA.

New Delhi: The Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday (February 3) announced that the Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics.

The decision comes after China made Galwan soldier torchbearer at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Torch Relay. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, it is "regrettable that China has chosen to politicise the Olympics. The Indian envoy will not attend the opening or closing ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics."

China`s People`s Liberation Army`s regimental commander, who had suffered severe injuries during the Galwan clash, became the torchbearer at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics Torch Relay on Wednesday (February 2).

Qi Fabao, the regimental commander who suffered a serious head injury during the Galwan Valley border skirmish on June 15, 2020, took the flame from China`s four-time Olympic short track speed skating champion, at Winter Olympic Park, State media outlet Global Times reported on Wednesday.

This came as a report revealed that China is hiding its losses in the Galwan Valley clash with India. The new research has shown that the PLA lost at least nine times more soldiers than its official count of four.

(With ANI inputs)