At the Winter Games, host China succeeded in squelching public discussion by athletes of its human rights record.

Around the world, athletes are throwing their support behind political and social causes, part of a wave of sports activism that has flourished in the years since former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick began taking a knee during games to protest police brutality against Black people.

Athletes at the Beijing Olympics have been urged by human rights activists to avoid criticizing China because they could be prosecuted.