Bejing Olympics

[claymore]

I feel it is a great pity that the Bejing Olympics are not boycotted by the UK at least - or is it no consequence to us that the Chinese have such dreadful disregard for human rights.

40 years on from Enoch's awful speech we seem to be dealing in dual standards methinks. The Chinese secret police would seem little better than the Gestapo it appears.

[cpedw]

I don't want to appear to be an apologisdt for the Chinese government, but could not the UK's and US's treatment of, for example, the Diego Garcians be seen as any thing other than a blatant disregard of their human rights?
As for the Olympics, I would be happier if all the sporty people of the world stayed in their own street and played a game of keepy=uppy just for fun instead of boosting the pharmaceutical and sports shoe industries. Then we could watch more QI on the telly.

Derek.

[ParaHandy]

I feel it is a great pity that the Bejing Olympics are not boycotted by the UK at least - or is it no consequence to us that the Chinese have such dreadful disregard for human rights.

we know how disappointed you must be that Mr D Trump's not being allowed to build his mega-casino in Blackpool (but, alas, still seems likely to be building his golf course elsewhere in the kingdom). However, far from suggesting a boycott surely this should be an opportunity to train mah-jong croupiers in your august establishment?

[claymore]

Coals to Newcastle seems to be springing to mind....

When did they make Mah-Jong an Olympic Sport?

[Olivepage]

I think Claymore is quite right

I will boycott the Beijing Olympics, in fact I think I will boycott the London Olympics as well, since I'm not happy about human rights issues in the UK.

At least I'm not paying for the Beijing games.

Isn't it time we stopped this mad competition to see who can spend (waste) the most money and resources on what is little more than a sop to politicians vanity.

The money spend in London would have done wonders in providing facilities for children to play sport. Perhaps have even bought back some of the sports grounds sold off to build houses

[Telo]

I feel it is a great pity that the Bejing Olympics are not boycotted by the UK

Hmm, wouldn't it be a bit strange doing that seeing as the UK, in order to host the 2012 Olympics, has already agreed that it will guarantee entry into the country for anybody with International Olympic Committee accreditation. That will include China.

To boycott or to engage are surely more about tactics rather than ethics? In other words, either response might be justifiable in any given set of circumstances imho, but isn't the issue really about effectiveness?

[claymore]

I agree - the issue was well presented in the Observer a few weeks ago where the reporter suggested that by allowing China into the fellowship of the 5 ring circus, we were condoning their human rights behaviour. The original point I was attempting to articulate was based on a comparison of sorts of the way in wheich times and politicians change. Mrs Thatcher stopped a generation of GBR sports men and women competing in the Olympics because Russia invaded Afghanistan. Whilst not exactly an admirer of hers - except perhaps for a brief timein the early days when she was Education Minister, I don't see todays politicians taking similar stance in what I personally feel is a far bigger issue than that invasion.

[aitchw]

I have a real problem with the notion of boycotting an event like the Olympics as a political tool in the hands of government. However, I would applaud such a decision being taken by individuals and have great respect for anyone taking that stand.

The difficulty is that I can see a possibility that such a huge influx of foreigners could have a huge impact on perceptions both within China and in the rest of the world when the games are over. There is no way that the potentially millions of visitors could be isolated completely from the population. The way that the Chinese authorities deal with the inevitable tensions created will be educative for all.

China's human rights record is appalling but I don't see a boycott by one nation changing that.

[claymore]

I know you are right - I just wish they hadn't been accepted into the Olympic family.

[FullCircle]

Well I wish all sprtsmen and women the very best in their efforts at sporting endeavour.
Let not politics enter into it - they cant help where they are born, but they are driven to excel at their chosen sport.

Let the Zimbabweans come here to play sport too. I dont think its encouraging their Governements - only if we let them.
By all means protest, but let sport be sport.

Think how many years the South Africans were denied the opportunity, it served no purpose other than to satisfy the rhetoric of politicians, whichever of them believed how right they were.

[claymore]

Hmm - I'm not sure I agree with your final sentence. South Africa has indeed moved along a way since the 1970's and surely some of that can be attributed to the international pressure brought to bear don't you think?

A number of the British Lions players of Willie John's side regretted going.

[aitchw]

I think it true to say that the opposition in SA was fully supportive of the boycott which added weight to the decision. I don't know if that is the case in Zimbabwe and as yet things have not developed so far in China that there is a comparable situation. At this stage I think the potential positives of wider outside contact should be given time to mature.

[jim.r]

I feel it is a great pity that the Bejing Olympics are not boycotted by the UK at least - or is it no consequence to us that the Chinese have such dreadful disregard for human rights.

40 years on from Enoch's awful speech we seem to be dealing in dual standards methinks. The Chinese secret police would seem little better than the Gestapo it appears.

Whilst in principle having sympathy with that view, I would find it hard to justify a boycott of sport without a similar boycott of goods and services ..

will that happen .. no, in fact China's superpower status .. economic , military, resource controller seems to be growing at an exponential rate ... biqg question marks for the global future