This archive report was first published on 23 December 2019.
On Monday, New Zealand rugby superstar Sonny Bill Williams weighed in on the controversy surrounding China's treatment of its Uighur minority, echoing the sentiments of Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil.
Williams, a double rugby union World Cup winner with the All Blacks who converted to Islam, expressed his disappointment on Twitter, stating, "It's a sad time when we choose economic benefits over humanity."
Williams' comments come as China continues to face international criticism for its crackdown on Muslim minorities, with human rights groups and experts estimating that over one million Uighurs and other mostly Muslim minorities have been jailed.
China had previously responded furiously to Ozil's attack on Beijing policies, deleting him from Chinese versions of the popular Pro Evolution Soccer computer game and pulling the broadcast of an Arsenal match against Manchester City.
Similar episodes have played out in the past, including when China punished the NBA's Houston Rockets after its general manager Daryl Morey tweeted support for Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters in October.
