By Karolos Grohmann

BEIJING (Reuters). Xinjiang-born cross country skier, one of two torchbearers for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics opening ceremonies, on Friday was disqualified by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday.

Dinigeer Yilamujiang from Altay, China’s western Xinjiang area, placed the lit torch on a huge snowflake with Zhao Jiawen (21-year-old Biathlete), before the flame was raised high above Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium.

Yilamujiang was selected as one of two final torchbearers as many west nations had boycotted Winter Games due to China’s treatment Uyghurs as well as members of other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.

Mark Adams, IOC spokesperson stated that “Obviously the ceremony opening is something that was put together by the organising committee and there has been creative input.” “We were involved in a limited way.”

This is an athlete competing today. It is her right to compete, regardless of where she came from or what her background.

Organisers of the Games stated the selection criteria for the remaining torchbearers was their birth date. They were each born from the 1950s to 2000s.

Yilamujiang was the first Chinese Cross-Country Ski medallist at any International Federation-Level Event. He is an Olympic hopeful and a new champion in a discipline where China has never excelled.

She finished 43rd in Saturday’s skiathlon and was third out of the four Chinese skiers.

Ma Haiyun is an expert in Xinjiang, and is an associate professor at Frostburg State University, Maryland. She said that Yilamujiang was selected to convey a message.

He said that China was trying to respond to Western criticisms of Uyghur genocide and persecution, as well as sinicisation, by choosing a Uyghur-ethnic athlete to light the torch.

“But I don’t think this can have much effect on the West, which tends to think most of what China puts up is a show anyway,” Ma added.

Some western countries and rights groups have asked China to stop what it considers genocide against Uyghur ethnic Uyghurs. Researchers from the United Nations and activists for human rights estimate that more than a million Muslims are being held in camps located in Xinjiang.

China refutes allegations of abuse. They describe the camps to be vocational centres that combat extremism.