Juggling free speech for Beijing Olympics
OLYMPICS
As Britain shifts position, U.S. Olympians learn they can say what they want -- in certain areas
A member of the U.S. Olympic team would face no official rebuke for wearing a T-shirt that said, "Free Tibet," while walking the streets of Beijing during the 2008 Summer Games.
Wear that shirt in the Olympic Village or any sports venue, and the athlete might be on the next plane home after violating the international Olympic Charter.
U.S. athletes can criticize China's human rights record if asked about it at any time or place -- as long as it isn't at a news conference specifically organized for that purpose in an "Olympic area."
Athletes from other countries may have to be even more careful about what they say and where they say it.
Confusing rules and the desire of some countries to avoid anything that might offend their Chinese hosts have created both misunderstanding and attempts by some national Olympic committees to censor their athletes in China this summer.
The latest controversy involves Britain, which had drafted a clause telling its athletes they "are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues" in an agreement 2008 British Olympians are to sign.
Facing a firestorm of criticism after a British newspaper revealed the clause Sunday, the British Olympic Assn. immediately said it would redraft the agreement. Simon Clegg, BOA chief executive, said his organization had no "desire to restrict athletes from freedom of speech, and the final agreement will reflect this."
In the last two weeks, the Belgian and New Zealand Olympic committees also had drawn strong condemnation from human rights organizations for apparent attempts to muzzle their athletes in Beijing.
USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said no U.S. athlete would be reprimanded or censured for expressing a critical opinion about China's human rights record, either before or during the Olympics, so long as it is done in an appropriate setting.
The code of conduct that 2008 U.S. Olympians will sign asks them only to respect the terms of the Olympic Charter.
"We will not prohibit free speech," Seibel said, "but in speaking with our athletes, most seem to feel it would be highly inappropriate to use the Games as a forum to make a political statement."
The Olympic Charter, in longstanding rule 51 (3), says, "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues, or other areas."
