Olympics committeeofficial defends non-political stance

CHINA: CHINA IS on track to deliver a superb Olympic Games in August, a senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) official said yesterday in a stout defence of the sporting body's non-political stance.

The committee has been criticised for not taking a firmer line on China's human rights record before the Beijing games.

In a pointed response to the criticisms, Hein Verbruggen reiterated the committee's mantra that it was a sporting organisation and not a political one, and would not get involved in political issues.

"The games have been drawn into issues that do not necessarily have a link with the operations of the games. It's the truth. We are all aware that the international community is discussing these topics," he said as he wrapped up a tour of the city.

Mr Verbruggen, who is chairman of the IOC inspection committee, rejected the implication in an Amnesty International report this week that awarding the games to China had made human rights there worse.

Amnesty said the Olympics had so far failed to catalyse reform in China and pledges to improve human rights before the games looked disingenuous after a string of violations in Beijing and a crackdown in Tibet. "To go that far to say the games contributed to a worsening situation in human rights I would call blatantly untrue," said Mr Verbruggen.

He reserved particular ire for recent threats by some EU politicians to boycott the Olympics opening ceremony. "I have very little admiration for politicians that come here to sign big business contracts and three or four months later say, 'perhaps I won't come to the opening ceremony'," he said.

French president Nicolas Sarkozy recently visited China to pocket some large contracts for French companies, but last week said he was considering boycotting the opening ceremony.

German chancellor Angela Merkel has made similar noises, even though Germany is a huge trading partner with China.

The decision to boycott the opening ceremony or the Olympics should be made by athletes, not politicians, Mr Verbruggen said.

Mr Verbruggen received positive feedback on a number of key IOC requests, such as uncensored internet access during the games and freedom of live broadcast.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times