A Gold Medal in Cowardice

Hey, remember when the 2008 Olympics was awarded to China, and everyone said it would help open the country up and promote freedom? Yeah, not so much. Says the New York Times: “Athletes who compete in the Beijing Olympics will not be allowed to wave flags, make gestures or alter their external appearance to make a political statement, according to guidelines issued in April by the International Olympic Committee.”

The Times also reports that athletes could be thrown in jail for violating the laws of the host country. Fair enough, except for the fact that, say, criticizing the Communist government is a violation of the those laws. In other words, athletes are “permitted to express their opinions in conversations with the news media,” but doing so could easily be construed as not “abid[ing] by the laws of the host country.” Interesting catch-22 we have here.

It’s one thing for the IOC to hide behind their bylaws and cowardly claim neutrality while China is actively crushing dissent in Tibet and aiding genocide in Darfur. But to silence the athletes who wish to take a stand is unconscionable. If I was a medal-winning athlete at the Beijing Games they’d have to send me home to shut me up.