IOC in Beijing: Got Backbone?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Now it appears officials in the International Olympic Committee rolled over and cut a deal with Chinese authorities to allow them to block internet websites at their discretion, despite China's unequivocal promise of unfettered journalistic access that helped them win the Games.

Nothing like standing on your principles...or for that matter, requiring the organizers to stick to their promises...

[keith]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

Nothing like standing on your principles...or for that matter, requiring the organizers to stick to their promises...

so where do your principles begin and end then, outraged refusal to visit china in a couple of weeks time?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

I have no principles, although I have had principals in the past.

But for the IOC appeasers, how 'bout this:

49 Media Coverage of the Olympic Games*
1. The IOC takes all necessary steps in order to ensure the fullest coverage by the different media and the widest possible audience in the world for the Olympic Games.
2. All decisions concerning the coverage of the Olympic Games by the media rest within the competence of the IOC.

[keith]

... and in related news the government of china announces full democratic elections to coincide with the closing ceremony.

I am not sure whether your faith in the transforming power of the IOC should be treated with amusement or pity. A side effect of mystery meat on a stick perhaps?

[peet]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

49 Media Coverage of the Olympic Games*
1. The IOC takes all necessary steps in order to ensure the fullest coverage by the different media and the widest possible audience in the world for the Olympic Games.
2. All decisions concerning the coverage of the Olympic Games by the media rest within the competence of the IOC.

Where does that come from? I'd like to check it out if possible.

-p

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Olympic Charter
Rather long document...but informative.

Keith:

Not necessarily believing in the transformative power of the IOC...but if China agrees to build an Olympic Stadium as part of their application packet...then the IOC should hold them to it. If the Chinese BOCOG folks agree to unrestricted media access as part of their application packet...the IOC should hold them to that, as well.

By the way, asking for written, 24-72 hour advance notification of where you'd like to park your satellite truck for breaking news coverage is not unrestricted access. Choking off internet access to check facts or look for local color is not unrestricted media access.

However; I believe I will be restricting my access to "mystery meat on a stick" while in Beijing...maybe that's Principle #1.

[Timberwolf_CY]

Yeah, I was going to put up a topic about this, but I thought I did enough China-flaming. I heard about it on the news when they said China was not allowing people access the Amnesty International site and a host of other sites...no pun intended...

[Capt. Slo-mo]

I guess the thing that irritated me is the complicity of the IOC. It's one thing if they have the best intentions of making everything open, accessible and as agreed to by the BOCOG boys...yet get sandbagged at the last minute by recalcitrant hardliners in the Chinese government.

When the IOC itself becomes an enabler of censorship, though, then they need to take a big long look in the mirror.

[whiteandbluefencer]

Yes, them becoming an enabler would mean that they're going against the very ideas which serve as the basis of the Olympics.

[Grimaldi]

I'm wondering if we'll see a large amount of media/blog activity regarding the less-savory parts of Chinese government and life as the Olympics end and people get home, where they can then freely broadcast their thoughts. People have shown a remarkable talent for getting stuff onto the internet, but China has proven to be pretty effective at blocking the majority of negative traffic from people within their borders. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised to see the Olympic Committee rollover on this issue.

[Gav]

Originally Posted by Capt. Slo-mo

Now it appears officials in the International Olympic Committee rolled over and cut a deal with Chinese authorities to allow them to block internet websites at their discretion, despite China's unequivocal promise of unfettered journalistic access that helped them win the Games.

Nothing like standing on your principles...or for that matter, requiring the organizers to stick to their promises...

This is actually a political thread and nothing to do with sport - fencing in particular.

Off to the politics section.

[rory]

Originally Posted by whitandbluefencer

Yes, them becoming an enabler would mean that they're going against the very ideas which serve as the basis of the Olympics.

Originally Posted by www.olympic.org

Fundamental Principles of Olympism

1. Olympism is a philosophy of life,exalting and combining in a balanced whole the qualities of
   body, will and mind. Blending sport with culture and education, Olympism seeks to create a
   way of life based on the joy of effort, the educational value of good example and respect for
   universal fundamental ethical principles.
2. The goal of Olympism is to place sport at the service of the harmonious development of man,
   with a view to promoting a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity.
3. The Olympic Movement is the concerted,organised,universal and permanent action,carried
   out under the supreme authority of the IOC,of all individuals and entities who are inspired by
   the values of Olympism. It covers the five continents. It reaches its peak with the bringing
   together of the world’s athletes at the great sports festival,the Olympic Games.Its symbol is
   five interlaced rings.
4. The practice of sport is a human right. Every individual must have the possibility of practising
   sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual
   understanding with a spirit of friendship,solidarity and fair play.The organisation,administration
   and management of sport must be controlled by independent sports organisations.
5. Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race,religion,
   politics,gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.
6. Belonging to the Olympic Movement requires compliance with the Olympic Charter and
   recognition by the IOC.

Please show me where in the fundamental principles of Olympism it mentions freedom from censorship.

There is no doubt that the Chinese government treats its citizens somewhat differently than Americans think is proper (and personally I don't agree with it either) - but the constant China-bashing that's going on at the moment honestly smells more of ignorant xenophobia than honest concern for the inhabitants of China.

[TBean]

What stick do you honestly think the IOC has in this situation to make China comply?

Sure, China said they would allow unrestricted media access in thier packet, they wanted the games. Unlike building a stadium where there are benchmarks of progress for the IOC to check, media access can be curtailed in a very short time-frame with no consequences to China in the short-term. With just over a week before the games - heck being honest up to a year ago - the IOC had no leverage whatsoever to get China to change its policies. The IOC had to suck it up and make it work because they have no other sandbox to play in.

Should the IOC have seen this coming and thought of some way to try and avoid it - sure - but we all know about hindsight.

[whiteandbluefencer]

Originally Posted by rory

Please show me where in the fundamental principles of Olympism it mentions freedom from censorship.

There is no doubt that the Chinese government treats its citizens somewhat differently than Americans think is proper (and personally I don't agree with it either) - but the constant China-bashing that's going on at the moment honestly smells more of ignorant xenophobia than honest concern for the inhabitants of China.

I resent being accused of xenophobia... do you know me? How can you make this judgment? I'm an International Studies major, which makes me about as opposite of that as you can get! I would never bash China, or any other country, and I was not doing so here.

My point was that the Olympics are about opening up to other cultures and experiencing everything that's good about sports and those who play them. I think that the IOC allowing China to censor the media serves to undermine these ideas. It brings in a sort of negativity. I will agree that there really isn't much that the IOC could do about this, and that it certainly is too late now, but I still think that it's disappointing. Course, one could go by the old saying of while in Rome...

[Timberwolf_CY]

Originally Posted by rory

Please show me where in the fundamental principles of Olympism it mentions freedom from censorship.

There is no doubt that the Chinese government treats its citizens somewhat differently than Americans think is proper (and personally I don't agree with it either) - but the constant China-bashing that's going on at the moment honestly smells more of ignorant xenophobia than honest concern for the inhabitants of China.

Go to Taiwan for a while...see what it feels like to have an army probably, what? a thousand times that of the defender's baring down on your host nation waiting every day to take over. Obviously you have a narrow mind to totally disbar everything that everyone says in a single post. But without more to argue, you took the quick way out. I could really care less about their inhabitants...I went to college with many of them and they're all brainwashed, lazy, rich, only children. I suppose everyone's brainwashed to a degree, but I'm not brainwashed to take over the world by any means necessary, as lazily as possible. I really think you have no clue of what you're talking about.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally Posted by rory

Please show me where in the fundamental principles of Olympism it mentions freedom from censorship.

OK...how 'bout:

Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race,religion,politics,gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.

In relation to limiting access to information about or any discussion of Tibet, Falun Gong, Taiwan...or Tiananmen Square...pick a subject.

Originally Posted by rory

the constant China-bashing that's going on at the moment honestly smells more of ignorant xenophobia than honest concern for the inhabitants of China.

Would you feel better about well-informed xenophobia? And if the Chinese authorities feel comfortable acting this way to the foreign press during the giant magnifying glass that is the Olympics, how do you think their citizens fare during regular times?

Originally Posted by TBean

What stick do you honestly think the IOC has in this situation to make China comply?

Actually, I thought I had read a week or so ago that the IOC had some financial sticks to wave in a threatening manner, if the authorities didn't behave themselves over the press issues. In a fair bit of searching, I don't find that information anywhere. It's a good question, though. Other than the threat of pulling the Games, does the IOC funnel any money to BOCOG (that could be withheld) or have any other sanctions available to them?

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Well, well, well: internet restrictions lifted

[Grimaldi]

Honestly, the Olympics has the ultimate stick to wave around. Just like they banned Iraq from competing because of failure to meet the rules, China is failing to meet agreed to obligations. Banning Chinese athletes from competing, or delaying/cancelling all events until the requirements are met, would be an international event.

That's the exact message China is trying to avoid this year...they're trying to show the world that they've progressed in the last few decades, economically and socially. If the first day's events were cancelled because China's surveillance of foreigners went against their original contract, they were informed and failed to change it....yowsa. THe Olympics would get plenty of flak, too, which is why they'll never do it and China will get away with their improper behavior.

[Insipiens]

An alternative to cancelling events could be to ban Chinese athletes from participating.

Then of course they would still be allowing China to host the Olympics but I think China would be a bit unhappy about it. After all they are planning on winning lots of events.