Apparently the International Olympic Committee is so afraid that some of the world’s top athletes may, after winning gold, silver, or bronze in their events, take the opportunity to express their views on China’s military occupation of Tibet. As such, the IOC has decided to specifically ban such displays now, in advance of the Games […]
Tibetans and supporters protested Coca-Cola’s annual shareholder meeting this morning, calling on the company’s executives to use their influence to pressure the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to immediately withdraw Tibet from China’s Olympic torch relay route. Tibetans and human rights activists fear that allowing the Olympic torch to be run through Tibet will heighten tensions leading to an increased crackdown by Chinese authorities.
As the Beijing Olympics torch relay takes place in the capital on Thursday, protesting Tibetans will run a parallel torch relay for a “free Tibet” on the other side of the city at the same time. To be run from Rajghat to the Jantar Mantar observatory, the Tibetan torch relay will have an estimated participation of nearly 5,000 people, its organisers claim.
The Chinese government and the International Olympic Committee are reportedly in crisis talks, after they massively underestimated worldwide ourtage over Beijing’s repressive rule in Tibet. This report is from the Financial Times:
Beijing officials are to hold urgent talks with senior members of the Olympic movement about the torch relay, as concern grows among International Olympic […]
A bit of satire from The Onion:
Olympic Torch Used to Ignite Tibetan Protesters
BEIJING—A universally recognized symbol of goodwill, the Olympic torch was used to immolate hundreds of Tibetan protesters during its journey across mainland China last week, in what is being called a stirring display of competitive spirit and Chinese nationalism.
“It was a thrilling experience,” said […]
This is a photo of the Chinese government’s Olympic torch in London, surrounded by a group of identically-dressed Chinese guards (the only torch relay I know of ever that had to be guarded by stormtroopers). In the distance, you see police blocking pro-Tibet protesters.
The Chinese government calls its torch a “Torch of Harmony.” […]
Four Tibet independence activists were detained this morning after two activists abseiled off Westminster Bridge and unfurled a 74 square meter protest banner reading, “One World, One Dream: Free Tibet 2008,” mocking China’s Olympics slogan “One World, One Dream.” The action took place on the eve of the controversial arrival of China’s Olympic torch relay […]
Reporters Without Borders has obtained a leaked internal memo that International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge sent to all IOC members setting out a communication strategy for the Tibet crisis and the debate about a boycott of the Olympic Games.
Rogge’s memo displays a level of arrogance and shamelessness that would be stunning, if it didn’t comport with […]
According to the International Olympic Committee’s myopic view of the world, everything is in “gold medal” shape (IOC’s terrible pun, not ours) for the Beijing Olympics:
The chief of the operations team, Hein Verbruggen, headed to a podium to assure the world that Beijing was on the right track, capable of a “gold medal performance” on everything […]
Is the International Olympics Committee finally waking up to its moral responsibility? This from Reuters:
Gerhard Heiberg, a Norwegian IOC board member, said the IOC may seek talks with China over the situation in Tibet and human rights issues if they threaten the success of the Beijing Olympics. He said, “We have the possibility of influencing […]
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