NO OLYMPIC TIBET BOYCOTT
IOC president Jacques Rogge claims that no governments have called for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The current political situation in Tibet, in which China has been heavily criticised for its handling of pro-Tibetan demonstrators, has once again put China in the spotlight.
European sports ministers and Olympic committees earlier ruled
out any boycott of the Games and talks of boycotts similar to those seen in LA,
Montreal and Moscow have been dismissed by Rogge.
"There have been absolutely no calls for a boycott," said Rogge, "neither emanating from governments, and we have been very heartened by the position of the European Union and the major governments of the world who have all said almost unanimously that boycotts will not be a solution."
Patrick Hickey, the head of the European Olympic Committees,
said boycotts "have never worked".
He said: "Montreal 1976, Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984
- the only people punished in a boycott are the athletes."
Pro-Tibet demonstrators plan to stage a protest outside the International Olympic Committee's Swiss headquarters on Tuesday where they will call on the IOC to block plans for the Olympic torch to pass through the region.
Despite the threat of boycotts seemingly being ended, the saga is the latest setback to Chinese organisers who were hoping to use the Beijing games as a vehicle to demonstrate the progress that China has made in recent years.
Continued protests from human rights campaigners and criticisms of the Chinese government's stance on the situation in Darfur, which ultimately led to the resignation of Steven Spielberg as artistic advisor, have overshadowed the games.
Concerns over pollution and the quality of air in the
Chinese capital have also caused concern, with marathon world record holder Haile
Gebrselassie refusing to run in the long-distance event.
Related links:
