Three U.S. allies have joined the White House in announcing diplomatic boycotts of the Beijing Winter Olympics, citing China's human rights abuses.
And Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, has met the news with what amounts to a verbal shrug.
In a news conference Wednesday, Bach continued to downplay the potential impact of the boycotts, which have so far been announced by Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. When asked if he was concerned by the moves, he said he was focused on the fact that the athletes from each country will still be competing.