Hosts China have faced criticism over its treatment of minorities such as the Uighurs in Xinjiang and the Tibetans, as well as for its suppression of the Hong Kong democracy movement and threats to Taiwan.

Human Rights Watch director Wenzel Michalski told Deutschlandfunk radio Sunday night that change is needed.

“If even the business sector demands that human rights violations in Xinjiang are denounced by businessmen then it must be clear for Mr Bach and others that their time has come,” Michalski said.

“They must resign and leave the field to a new generation of human rights conscious officials.”

Michaelski added it was now time “to break” the power of major sports organizations such as the IOC and football’s FIFA – which is under fire for awarding the 2022 World Cup to Qatar – “because they have shown that they only act irresponsibly and greedily.”

“I believe 2022 will be a watershed whether these big global bodies still make sense or have made themselves obsolete,” he said.

Bach has defended the choice of Beijing and has said human rights will be observed around the staging of the February 4-20 Games.

He has also said that the IOC is politically neutral and that the Beijing Games have political backing – although countries such as the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand won’t send any political officials to the Olympics.

German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and interior minister Nancy Faeser, whose portfolio includes sport, will also not be at the Games.