Former Winter Olympics champion Amy Williams has played down the prospect of Team GB athletes being affected by any political issues in the backdrop of the upcoming Games.
The Winter Olympics begin in Beijing on Friday and are set to run for just over two weeks as the world's best cold-weather sports athletes bid for glory.
China has been condemned by a swathe of human rights protest groups in the western world over its treatment of Hong Kong and the freedom of its people and persecution of Uyghurs.
There has also been recent furore over the country's treatment of Peng Shuai – the tennis star went missing after accusing a high-ranking former member of the government of sexual abuse.
Peng later reappeared and has done a media tour assuring people of her wellbeing and backtracking on her claims, but many bodies including the WTA remain unsatisfied with the proof of her safety and freedom on offer.
To deter athletes from using their platforms at the event to take a political stand, China has even warned them they will face "certain punishment" for "behaviour or speech that is against the Olympic spirit".
All that, along with the ongoing backdrop of the Covid pandemic – cases in Beijing are rising on the eve of the Games – means there is a lot for competitors to contend with before they even get to their events.
It means those representing Team GB at the Winter Olympics will do so in a less-than-ideal political climate.
But Williams, who shot to fame by winning skeleton gold at the 2010 Games in Vancouver, has warned this new wave of Olympians that they must ignore everything on the outside.
"They will be aware of it, but Team GB will protect them from that," she told Mirror Sport .
"They just need to concentrate on what they need to do, not get drawn into it and not worry about it. They can only do what they can and can only control the controllables.
"It's important to think about your own performance and not worry or stress about something that is out of your control.
"The conditions are the same for every athlete from every nation and it's still going to be the best person who competes with the conditions given to them."
In total, 50 athletes will be representing Team GB in hopes of bringing more medals home from a winter Games.
Laura Deas will hope to make it four golds in a row for British athletes in the women's skeleton after taking bronze in 2018 behind champion Lizzy Yarnold, while debutant Brogan Crowley could spring a surprise.
Sisters Izzy and Zoe Atkin are hoping to create a story in the freestyle skiing, while Dave Ryding could be in for more glory after becoming the first Brit to win an Alpine World Cup gold medal earlier this month.
And there are plenty more prospects for medals across the team, including in the women's curling team led by experienced skip Eve Muirhead, who wants to add to the bronze she won at Sochi 2014.
Watch all the action from the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 on discovery+, Eurosport and the Eurosport App.
