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Olympic athletes kept silent

Olympic athletes are now forbidden to comment on political issues during the 2008 Beijing games.

"British Olympic chiefs are to force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human rights record – or face being banned from travelling to Beijing.
The move – which raises the spectre of the order given to the England football team to give a Nazi salute in Berlin in 1938 – immediately provoked a storm of protest.

The controversial clause has been inserted into athletes' contracts for the first time and forbids them from making any political comment about countries staging the Olympic Games.

It is contained in a 32-page document that will be presented to all those who reach the qualifying standard and are chosen for the team."

This is absolutely ridiculous. Why? Read on:

Former Olympic rowing champion Matthew Pinsent has already criticised the Chinese authorities over the training methods used on children, which he regarded as tantamount to abuse. Young gymnasts told him they were repeatedly beaten during training sessions.

Mr Clegg confirmed that such criticisms would be banned under the team's code of conduct, which will be in force from when athletes are selected in July, until the end of the Games on August 24."

I think that this move has been made only to placate the Chinese government. It is arbitrary and ridiculous. Normally, I would urge athletes- like I urge musicians- to keep quiet about politics. But the Olympics are different, especially this year. A part of me really hopes that an athlete does something outrageous in order to protest the oppressive Chinese government.

-Matt Hittle

Posted at 06:35PM Feb 09, 2008 by College Republicans in Ridiculous!  |  Comments[1]