euro|topics - Should the Olympics be boycotted?

Main focus of Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Should the Olympics be boycotted?

Beijing is to host the Olympic Games in August 2008. In the aftermath of the bloody suppression of the protests in Tibet, the international community is facing the question of how to respond to China's human rights violations. Would boycotting the Olympics in Beijing help to promote democracy and freedom in China?

El Periódico de Catalunya - Spain

The daily explains that since "the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was not in doubt when it chose Beijing for the Olympic Games, avoiding to take certain things into account, it is unthinkable, five month away from the opening ceremony, for the slightest gesture to go against its decision. Thus we can observe a paradox: governments that jostle one another to receive the Dalai Lama seem paralysed when it comes to expressing their solidarity beyond mere declarations that are part of protocol. Worse still, they do not criticise national Olympic committees that dare demand of athletes that they refrain from expressing any criticism of the Chinese leadership. This is a scandalous form of censorship, unworthy of democracies, that neutralizes any demand of the respect of human rights and the rights of minorities that are actually systematically flouted by Beijing." (18/03/2008)

Týždeň - Slovakia

"In 1936, Hitler abused the Olympics in Berlin. The world had neither the power nor the courage to resist, and to its shame participated in the games," Stefan Hríb writes. "Now China is acting as if there's no problem, like Hitler in 1936 and Brezhnev in 1980. Sport is a beautiful thing and should not be abused by politicians. But this is precisely why the free world shouldn't take part in the Olympics. Not to boycott the games and refuse to go along with China's alibi game would be the most dreadful politicising of sport since the torturous Moscow games in 1980. For the athletes, not participating in the games would be terrible, but sport is not more important than freedom." (18/03/2008)

Süddeutsche Zeitung - Germany

The boycott debate, Thomas Hahn writes, highlights "how sport sees itself in the conflicts of the present: namely as a world apart that wants to remain untouched by outside influences unless they bring money. ... It's less about messages and more about markets, and sport as a product that owes much of its appeal to a harmonious image - an ideal combination of values and mass entertainment. The freedom to develop this product profitably is a desirable commodity. Political freedom restricts this freedom in situations of doubt. Sport and China are quite similar to each other in their pragmatic attitudes. This explains why seven years ago the IOC awarded the games to a nation that represented a market with exploding growth, but not human rights and a clean environment. There's nothing we can do to change this decision now." (18/03/2008)

Corriere della Sera - Italy

The French philosopher André Glucksmann supported a 1980 boycott of the Olympic Games in Moscow. Today he explains why a boycott of the Beijing games would be pointless. "The Tibetan protest is a cry for help addressed to the world and the Olympic Games are an opportunity to stir consciences, alerting them to the tragedy of a population that risks being wiped out. But before promoting the boycott, a few questions need to be asked: what would its concrete effects be? How many governments are ready to risk their economic relations with China? Are there any more efficient initiatives? Might this boycott not have the reverse effect of reinforcing the Beijing regime? ... Tibet is not seeking independence, but respect of its autonomy and culture. The intellectual has to be as realistic as the Tibetans." (18/03/2008)

Gazeta Wyborcza - Poland

Mariusz Zawadzki warns against the pitfalls of opportunism: "Boycott the Olympic Games in Beijing? The heart cries out 'Yes!'. But before you take to the streets to shout out your boycott, before you condemn athletes who want to fight for medals despite the suffering of the Tibetans, you should at least have the decency to examine your own position. First, boycott your own computer, because chances are it was made in China. Then took a look in your wardrobe and remove all the T-shirts, trousers, costumes, etc. that were made in China. ... But if you're one of the hundreds of millions of opportunists living in this world that are not prepared to do this, then forget boycotting the Beijing Olympic Games. After all, why should we expect athletes who have been preparing for the games for years to bear the consequences on their own?" (17/03/2008)

» To the complete press review of Tuesday, March 18, 2008

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