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May 9th, 2008
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Agree to disagree

Olympic charter muffles dissent of China critics

By František Bouc
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
March 19th, 2008 issue

ISIFA
Javelin champion Barbora Špotáková could face disqualification from the Olympics if she criticizes China.
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With only about five months remaining till the start of the Beijing Olympics, javelin thrower Barbora Špotáková is once again in the spotlight, not for what she might do at the Olympics — she is one of the top Czech medal contenders — but what she might say.
Špotáková, the reigning World Champion in women’s javelin, is an open-minded person who does not hesitate to voice her opinions. And, following the recent upheaval in Tibet and the iron-fisted line taken by China’s communist government to suppress the protest, Špotáková admits that she has worries about the games’ host nation.
“This latest development can hardly leave people ignorant,” Špotáková said. “I’m quite concerned about what’s going on. But I can’t do much about it, perhaps apart from raising my voice against it.”
In fact, Špotáková has been one of the few athletes who have dared to openly criticize the decision of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to assign Beijing the Olympics. Last summer, Špotáková said that giving the event to China was an unfortunate move.
As the Olympics approach, such statements may become even rarer, as the IOC is working toward silencing all political statements by athletes, using the Olympic charter’s own Section 51, which bans athletes from making political, racial and religious protests. Outspoken athletes can be disqualified from the games.
“Monitoring whether the charter has been fulfilled or not remains in exclusive competence of the IOC,” said Jiří Zedníček, vice chairman of the Czech Olympic Committee (ČOV).
However, the explosive political situation in China has prompted national Olympic committees to appeal to their athletes for restraint. The British Olympic Association (BOA) even considered inserting clauses into athletes’ contracts to prevent them from speaking out on politically sensitive issues before, during or after the Beijing Games.
The clause was to be based on the Olympic charter. Uproar within the British media made the BOA back down from the proposal.
Still, all athletes are expected to observe the Olympic charter, said Emmanuelle Moreau, spokesman for Beijing’s organizing committee.
“We do ask all competitors to take notice of Section 51,” he said. “But what an athlete says outside of the Olympics and its venues is up to them as freedom of expression. Such differences are common sense.”
ČOV Chairman Milan Jirásek admitted that the Czech committee is far from dictating lines to the country’s Olympians.
“We’re not going to tell them what they should be saying,” he said. “They are thoughtful people. We’ll just point at the possible threats and what could happen if they violate the Olympic charter.”
Despite her political sensitivities, Špotáková said she is weighing the pros and cons of speaking out at the games.
“On one hand, I won’t be afraid of making any comments,” she said. “But, on the other hand, I won’t be going to Beijing with the ambition to protest, but rather to succeed.”

František Bouc can be reached at fbouc@praguepost.com


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