Olympic athletes told to keep their mouths shut

[tigerbob]

I completely understand the need in political arenas to avoid giving offense when dealing with a regime that one might have objections to, but this decision simply beggars belief. Does anyone know if other countries are forcing their 2008 teams to sign similar agreements?

I would hope that all our senior atheletes set an example by refusing to sign such a disgusting document, but I won't be holding my breath.

The Mail on Sunday
11th February 2008

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.

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=513362&in_page_id=1770&ct=5

 

[RetiredGySgt]

Actually the Olympics is supposed to be NON political. The Athletes should NOT be making political statements anyway. But if I were an athlete I would not sign such a clause.

 

[Diuretic]

Knowing us the heat will be on the athletes not to bring back any Chinese tucker and Tsingtao beer* or else (we have strong quarantine laws).

But the story confuses me. I never knew the England footballers were ordered to give the Nazi salute at the Berlin Olympics (I have to ask who gave the orders). But it's a long way from a team being ordered to show some sort of approval for the regime in charge and a team being ordered to say nothing about the regime in charge.

I must have missed something.



*If you haven't tried it you should, it's excellent.

 

[actsnoblemartin]

id tell the chiniese government to fuck off

 

[Diuretic]

id tell the chiniese government to fuck off

In Australia we have a Prime Minister who could do it in fluent Mandarin. He won't of course but if he wanted to, he could

 

[tigerbob]

Knowing us the heat will be on the athletes not to bring back any Chinese tucker and Tsingtao beer* or else (we have strong quarantine laws).

Tsingtao rocks! But steer well clear of this truly awful drink they have called Maotai - the only drink I've ever tried that made me want to barf instantly, and to this day I believe I could still smell it 3 days later. It seemed to have become a part of my DNA (I only had one shot glass of the damn stuff). Truly revolting, but if you go out for a business dinner with the Chinese you will be served a glass of this and it's considered insulting not to drink it.

BTW, a friend of mine from work was recently turned back at immigration in Sydney for having a bit of mud on his golf shoes.

 

[Diuretic]

Tsingtao rocks! But steer well clear of this truly awful drink they have called Maotai - the only drink I've ever tried that made me want to barf instantly, and to this day I believe I could still smell it 3 days later. It seemed to have become a part of my DNA (I only had one shot glass of the damn stuff). Truly revolting, but if you go out for a business dinner with the Chinese you will be served a glass of this and it's considered insulting not to drink it.

BTW, a friend of mine from work was recently turned back at immigration in Sydney for having a bit of mud on his golf shoes.

Ah the mud on the golf shoes...pretty tough isn't it? Our Quarantine folks are really strict now.

 

[tigerbob]

Thank God.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23436676-details/Olympic%20bosses%20back%20down%20over%20ban%20against%20athletes%20criticising%20China%20human%20rights/article.do