Beijing says access to winter sports also a human right

BEIJING (Reuters) - Access to winter sports is also a human right, a spokeswoman for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics said on Tuesday, rejecting vociferous complaints from rights groups that China should not have won the right to host the Games.

Campaigners say human rights have deteriorated markedly in China since Beijing held the 2008 Summer Games. The last two years under President Xi Jinping's administration have been marked by a sweeping crackdown on dissidents, activists and human rights lawyers.