Congress asks Olympic Committee for proof that uniforms won't be made using forced labor

According to a letter dated Jan. 12, a bipartisan committee of US congressmen requested the International Olympic Organization (IOC) for assurances that uniforms for the forthcoming 2022 Beijing Games will not be created using forced labor.

The Congressional-Executive Commission on China has requested IOC President Thomas Bach for more details on the organization's agreements with Anta Sports and Hengyuanxiang Company, which provide uniforms (HYX Group).

Search results on China's e-commerce platforms indicate textiles manufacturer HYX Group publicly advertising the usage of Xinjiang cotton in everything from beds to pairs of socks. One of the product descriptions reads, "High-quality Xinjiang long-staple cotton with more than 3,000 hours of sunshine."

According to the committee, HYX supported the Tokyo Games last year and the Beijing Olympics the year before, and Anta was the first Chinese provider of sportswear uniforms to the IOC since the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

13 Jan 2022