Beijing’s Surveillance Olympics

A security guard stands behind a barrier outside the National Stadium, also known as the Bird's Nest, that will be part of the closed loop "bubble" for visitors and locals taking part in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, in front of the Olympic Tower at the Olympic Park in Beijing, China, on Jan. 19, 2022. Kevin Frayer/Getty Images

News Analysis

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) hopes to pull off a problem-free Olympics in order to bolster China’s international standing. In practice, this means around 11,000 people from around the world will be subjected to invasive surveillance and an extreme testing and quarantine regime, loaded with political and security risks—which may negatively impact athletes’ performance.