The hits just keep coming:
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.
The Olympics are not about politics, but neither should the Olympic athletes of democratic countries be subject to prior restraint by their host country. And certainly not by their own.
If U.S. athletes are forced to sign, should we pull out of the summer like we did in 1980 or the Soviet Union did in 1984?
I say to our athletes – don’t sign the oath. Be respectful of the nation you go to, but force China not to admit you or to quiet you. My sense is that it wouldn’t matter regardless. Most nations seem more sympathetic to a regime like China than value freedom.
I couldn’t disagree more. The athletes aren’t forced to sign anything. They must sign if they want to participate in the olympics. It’s egregiously bad manners to use the olympic podium to lecture, and the athletes represent their respective countries. I’d certainly be outraged if the olympics were held here and world athletes used that forum to criticize our nation’s policies.
If any country has a problem with China’s humanitarian policies then that country can boycott the olympics, not send athletes spouting their own personal opinion representing them indirectly.
Liz,
I understand. If they want to play, they have to sign. They shouldn’t use the Olympics as a political platform, but also keep in mind that the media will be everywhere, looking to interview athletes. Should they be given a list of what not to say?
Again, I’m not saying they SHOULD go with the intent of making a statement, that’s why I said they should respect the country they’re in. But respect is a two-way street. They should trust athletes not to be disrespectful; we should trust them not to suppress anything the athletes might say.
So that’s why I say not to sign the oath.
Remember the ‘68 Olympics with “the fist”. They had the freedom to make a quiet statement.
Dead on.
If the athletes themselves desire to make a statement about China’s appalling record, they should boycott the Olympics and state their reasons. It would certainly put the onus on them to take responsibility for their support/opposition to the Chinese government.
If you have a problem with China, don’t go. If no one shows up, that sends a lot stronger message than brow beating them at their own event. If the world sends a strong message to China that their actions are unacceptable, then maybe things will start to change. Appeasement is never the answer.
I will say however, if the British government is so concerned about what its athletes are going to say, perhaps they should consider the reason why.
Even athletes have the right to express themselves, and if the only answer to poor speech is better speech. What has China – or, for that matter – Britain – to be afraid of?
The US refuses to sign any prior restraint order, as does Finland, Canada and Australia. Signing are only New Zealand, Belgium and now Britain.
Don’t you think the Olympics, like wrestling, maybe boxing, has peaked? I gave them up when I learned that the so – called “Gold” medals, which used to be gold, are no longer. It’s about the spectacle, China the new superpower, the clever ads that will spring from the huge international viewing audience, etc. A few athletes, for the most part, will get their 15 minutes of fame, but big deal so what? There’s more where they came from.
American Gladiators is coming back I hear. That’s the real McCoy.
Cottus,
Do you mean to tell me that water ballet and synchronized swimming are better than the pentathlon? Sad but I just heard from another fencer that that sport is being reduced in this year’s Olympics.
It’s hard to understand what the Brits are thinking. Are they thinking?
If China wants to force the athletes to sign such a statement before being admitted, then I guess they can do it. But for the British committee to do so puts them in the position of doing the regime’s dirty work, while letting the regime off the hook from the standpoint of public opinion.
A fleet being reduced to meaninglessness.
Sharia Law to be embraced.
Calling home their magnificent warriors from engaging the enemies of freedom.
Forced stifling of dissenting political opinion.
The triumph of multiculturalism.
The British Empire shall not last a thousand years, and that we are privileged to have heard of their finest hour, as led by and described by Sir Winston Churchill barely half a century ago.
Soon the sun will set and the nation and values which gave birth to our own will linger only in memories and historical footnotes.
Like watching a loved parent being consumed by cancer. We love them, but can do nothing for them.
Sad. Very sad.
David Foster got it right. If China want to repress speech, well, it is Red China. But the UK? Boot licking toadies” is the phrase that comes to mind.
A detail: The Berlin Olympic Games were held in 1936, not 1938. I know this because I once worked for Ken Carpenter, the gold medalist in the discus from the ‘36 Games, and I was privileged to hear his telling of a few good stories about the whole thing.
Anyway, is there no prominent citizen of the UK with access to the media sounding the alarm over what is taking place there? Unbelievable.
Correct. The mentioned photo of the Nazi Salute by the British soccer team was taken in 1938 at an exhibition game in Berlin, two years after the Olympics.
I thought the same thing when I read it.
Link
Well, Lex, I’d ask in response if you ever took a trip down to Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi and stayed a while in tent city? Not a lot of freedom of expression going on there….not even crucifixes permitted to be worn. When a boss in company A sends you to work with company B are you free to tell company B anything you like about their company’s policies? Not usually. So why should athletes be given the right to express their invaluable political opinions at the international games when no one else would have such ‘freedom of expression’ while performing most any other job?
The athletes, in their capacity at the olympics, represent the United States of America/United Kingdom/whoever. I don’t want them speaking for me about the policies of China. Leave that up to diplomatic envoys. Let’s review what they are signing, “[Athletes] are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues.” Seems entirely sensible to me. Commenting on politics in such a forum would be incredibly bad manners.
Liz,
Are they defining “politically sensitive issues?”
Seriously, what are the parameters?
I don’t know. What does that matter? Why should the athletes speak of politics whatsoever in that type of forum?
If our country has a problem with China we should boycott the games. Alternately, if the players have a problem with China they should boycott the games. Otherwise, let the games go on and afford some respect and courtesy to the host nation.
I am more than fine with boycotting the games rather than forcing our athletes to sign the pledge.
Liz,
Completely understand your take on the issue. I guess the root of the problem lies in the thought of “prior restraint” of free speech, especially in the realm of the communist state.
Your above stance is “no political speech at the olympics”. Valid opinion, but the premise falls apart at the root of the argument: by “signing away” their right to free speech, China, the UK, and its athletes have just made a political statement. The very act of contractually signing away their right to voice an opinion (and what does that really mean, and to what extent?), they have made a political statement!
Of course, not signing the contract is the equal of signing the contract, in the realm of “making a political statement”. Therefore, China and the UK have inadvertantly created political statements while trying to eliminate political dissent. Fascinating.
Sad, but interesting nonetheless.
Clearly there is great disagreement. But even more clear is that the Olympics has not much to do with personal competitive athletic achievement anymore. I thought that was the whole point. Silly me.
So I hope our boys and girls can stoke up on all the steroids they can take without getting caught and we ‘win’ the Olympics. And I hope we get to see a bunch of riots* in China so they look bad. And I hope the beer commercials are so good they show up on Youtube so I can get a chuckle (Do they have beer commercials anymore on TV?) I hope ABC or whoever is able to take one of those ‘roided up preteens, produces a sufficiently melodramatic back story and turn her into a princess that ‘melts the heart’. Ah decline and fall – how fun to participate.
*MSM is getting pretty good at staging these things now.
Having lived in a foreign country where my father assisted them in their war gaming against China, living under a perpetual shadow of that country then, and continuing to be extraordinarily aware of them now, some 30 years later, I was appalled when they received the nod to host the games.
I would expect nothing less from China, this expectation of theirs. Nothing less.
Side note, the athlete… well, yeah, she’s in phenomenal shape, that picture you have, but good Lord, she needs to belly up to the bar and drink a milk shake… or two… or three. Wow. I’m not trying to be gross, but she looks like the poster girl for amenorrhea.
If you don’t think the Olympics can be used for political statements, then you obviously think that the US flag should dipped to honor foreign leaders during the Opening.
US flag bearers don’t do this because of a political statement in 1908.
John, great poetic comment.
Liz,
The reason I ask how China is defining “politically sensitive issues” is that you could have such a broad interpretation that any interview would be restricted. Examples:
Interviewer: How do you like China
Athlete: Great place but tough to drive around
RED FLAG for suggesting the govt can’t handle transportation issues.
Interviewer: How’s the hotel?
Athlete: Great, but try to get a bellhop
RED FLAG for complaining about Chinese labor availability
Interviewer: Can you get everything you need here?
Athlete: Absolutely. It’s a little tough to get used to using the currency…
RED FLAG for suggesting the yuan isn’t modern or easily used in a global market.
Are these extreme cases? Yes, but you can see how easily something seemingly innocuous can be construed as critical of the government. That’s why I’d like to see how they’re defining “politically sensitive issues.”
Spade, unless I’m mistaken, no US flags were lowered before 1908 in deference to any other country. So to do so to the king of England in 1908 would have been a political statement in and of itself, wouldn’t it? So no, I don’t advocate dipping flags. Nor do I advocate extending the middle finger to the host country (except on the athlete’s free time, then they can spout all they wish…not at the games as representatives of their home countries).
Then no media should be allowed to interview athletes about any topic because anything they say can be construed as “extending a middle finger” as you say even if there was no intent.
Okay, I see where you’re coming from. I understand. Thanks for clarifying.
Adeodatus, your examples kind of fail the reasonability test. No one is going to kick an olympic athlete out of China for criticizing the food. Come on, really, there are plenty of precedents for this type of thing. Military members have to conduct themselves in a certain fashion when overseas and cannot say whatever they like whenever they like. There are often sponsorship agreements that athletes must abide by. If they are sponsored by coca cola, they can’t stand on the podium and say coca cola sucks. Likewise when they’re in China, if they decide to compete there, they should not be free to publicly criticize the Chinese hosting government. They should just zip it, take it all in, talk about it later.
The athletes are free to interview afterwards and give their opinions on (Chinese) political matters, not during the games as national representatives.
Liz, I’m sympathetic to your position and you’ve raised some valid points, but the issue for me remains prior restraint.
There ought absolutely to be consequences attaching to actions, and if you went as a representative of Coca-Cola to a convention and trash talked the company, you’d have every right to expect that you’d be sacked when you returned. Coke might even ask you to sign an anticipatory NDA, but the federal government – at least over here – is explicitly forbidden from doing so.
Tell the athletes this issue is sensative. Remind them of the consequences if they cross the line. Disavow what they said if it doesn’t match national policy. Correct error.
But you have to admit that there is something chillingly Orwellian about a democractic country with a proud tradition of free speech protections requiring their citizens to put a sock in it. Or permitting a Communist dictatorship to define what may or may not be said by their citizens.
I guess since I’m kind of a Euro…please don’t hold it against me!
It influences my opinion on this. Most of the world doesn’t have the sort of speech freedom we do here (even in Great Britain, or other countries you might expect it). I’m not really surprised when I hear things like this, nor does it bother me so much (because the intent makes sense to me). But I understand your point. This will be my last comment on this thread. I didn’t mean to go on so long about this issue….sorry for the spam. :flowers:
Liz…”afford some respect and courtesy to the host nation”…maybe it’s important to distinguish between the people of a nation and the government of a nation. I doubt that Chinese are any more monolithic in their opinions than are Americans, and at least some of them would probably appreciate having attention drawn to human rights violations.
GD communists.
David Foster, you might be shocked to learn just how monolithic Chinese public opinion is. The Chinese public blows like grass in the wind of the state-controlled media. You will never see it most days or most years. But when the Chinese government invokes Nationalism it is a truly amazing and terrifying thing to observe. I am not sure I could believe it myself if I had not seen it done a few times, and seen how complete is the control of the average man’s thoughts.
What the hell happen to once Great Britain? Once a nation with a heart of a lion now preemptively lays down to any half backed ism that would supplant traditional Western values.
While I agree that, in general, athletes should compete and not opine, I think it is a very poor precedent for free men and women to submit to tyranny in any form. I don’t think Publilius Syrus’ “beneficium accipere, libertatem est vendere” applies here. These athletes are representing their nation as exemplars, not supplicants nursing on the public teet.
Have you ever been kicked in the face by the iron boot of tyranny while laying face down in the mud? Of course not, it never happens, at least not so directly. It happens by increments. An appeasement here, an accommodation there. Before you know it , civilized people are asked to tolerate erstwhile surgeons who refuse to wash their arms to the elbow, Pasteur and his silly theories be damned.