French suggest boycott of Olympic opening ceremonies

[Nitemare]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c....boycott.ap/index.html

I, for once, actually agree with them.

 

[piasabird]

Maybe by that time the chinese will be finished with their cultural genocide in Tibet.

 

[Queasy]

I'd boycott more than just the opening ceremony.

 

[sandorski]

China is in an impossible situation here. Tibetans and others know that China's only choices are to give in to Demands or face International Embarrassment. Of course how bad that embarrassment will be is in China's hands, but I suspect they'll be willing to go quite far to not give into Demands.

The French idea sounds like a good one as it is doubtful anyone will come up with a better idea.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: sandorski
China is in an impossible situation here. Tibetans and others know that China's only choices are to give in to Demands or face International Embarrassment. Of course how bad that embarrassment will be is in China's hands, but I suspect they'll be willing to go quite far to not give into Demands.

The French idea sounds like a good one as it is doubtful anyone will come up with a better idea.

Yeah they kind of bit off more than they could chew when they elected to host the games and be put under global scrutiny

 

[StageLeft]

Interesting approach. I am against a boycott of the entire games, no doubt, because it sucks for the athletes and I enjoy watching the olympics.

Boycotting the ceremonies puts a message across, though.

That said, what is the point of this and will it have any measurable effect on anything? It will be shame for the Chinese, but will they realize the error of their ways or just act more aggressively and harshly next time to clean it up quicker? Who knows?

Worse case, China sees some countries boycotting ceremonies and maybe some pissant countries with no athletes boycotting anyway and then we see other athletes getting sick or putting in substandard performances and/or using masks because of poor air quality.

Despite the sense that China is the next super power among some, the reality is that it continues to be an impoverished country that is whoring itself out to capitalism and, like a whore, getting poisoned at the same time to make some money. It lacks social and political freedoms and has one of the least healthy environments on the planet. It sucked 20 years ago and still sucks today.

 

[Red Dawn]

It should be up to the individual Athletes, not any government or sports governing body.

 

[Robor]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
It should be up to the individual Athletes, not any government or sports governing body.

I don't think it would send the same message. Plus, don't the governments fund the training and other expenses of their athletes?

 

[Slick5150]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
It should be up to the individual Athletes, not any government or sports governing body.

Countries go, or they don't go. All the athletes are part of their country's "team". Much like the U.S. team didn't compete in the Soviet olympics, and vice versa.


I agree with France that there needs to be some kind of boycott involved here. And the IOC should be ashamed they ever had the olympics there.

 

[Craig234]

I think France is right. While those calling for more have a point, the point reaches hypocrisy when the US bends over backwards to turn a blind eye and pay so much to China for goods made by oppressed labor.

So, the world situation currently has France leading the defense of liberty, and the US on the sideline.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Not a bad idea. They would call it the "Parade Without Nations".

 

[ZzZGuy]

I hope there will be various independent groups doing air quality testing, and first sign of hazardous air quality a alert be made so countries can pull their athletes from the sporting events or at least have them delayed until it is safe.

I can see China trying to suppress/keep out any such groups, but i can see that ending very badly (worst case is they succeed and a athlete dies from smog).

 

[freegeeks]

no surprize that the idea comes from Bernard Kouchner, the French Foreign Minister
he is the co-founder of Medecins sans Frontieres, a very interesting man and by far the most popular politician in France. He hates dictators and the abuse of humanitarian rights with a passion

Time article

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
I hope there will be various independent groups doing air quality testing, and first sign of hazardous air quality a alert be made so countries can pull their athletes from the sporting events or at least have them delayed until it is safe.

I can see China trying to suppress/keep out any such groups, but i can see that ending very badly (worst case is they succeed and a athlete dies from smog).

Air quality will be a hard issue to avoid. World record holder in the marathon is not going to run anything longer than maybe a 10k because "I have no intention of committing suicide in Beijing,".

His decision comes a day after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that it would consider postponing events at the Games such as the marathon if they felt conditions were unsafe.

from link

However, the IOC's commission conceded there will be some risk to competitors in endurance events "that include minimum one hour continuous physical efforts at high level - urban road cycling, mountain bike, marathon, marathon swimming, triathlon and road walk."

Isn't that f**king insane? Why did they pick China, again?

 

[CanOWorms]

They should use the Tibet flag instead of the French flag in the ceremony.

 

[Dark4ng3l]

China will make the air breathable. They will completely shut down the entire city for the duration of the games if they have to.

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: CanOWorms
They should use the Tibet flag instead of the French flag in the ceremony.

holy crap, for once I agree with you

 

[imported_Tango]

The bad idea was having the Olympic games in China to start with. It's not that countries did not know what the Chinese record on human rights was before this last Tibet crisis. Of course as usual money was the most important factor in choosing the host country, and now we all face a decision that will be controversial no matter what we choose.

I for one know I won't be watching anything about the games. Spectators are the ones who should boycott. Maybe next time the Olympic committee would think twice before sending the games, and their ceremonies about equality and peace, to a place such as China. If people turn off their TVs, sponsors might take a note.

But then again, in the grand scheme of things, something like the Olympic games might be a great opportunity for the media to get some attention to what's going on in the country, and raise some awareness.

 

[Throckmorton]

Boycott the games entirely. Holding them in China is an affront to the legacy of the Olympics.

Screw the athletes, they should be boycotting the games themselves.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: Dark4ng3l
China will make the air breathable. They will completely shut down the entire city for the duration of the games if they have to.

While it's true that they will go to such lengths, in reality that's no better than expecting to cure lung cancer by just quitting smoking.

But then again, in the grand scheme of things, something like the Olympic games might be a great opportunity for the media to get some attention to what's going on in the country, and raise some awareness.

Unlikely. Fringe journalists may cover real stories, but we both know that the main stories about China will follow a quaint little family and how they have a humble but comfortable life somewhere on the outskirts of beijing. Maybe another one that travelled a couple of days there through pristine countryside. We won't see any of the populous behind bars for political dissension or the $4/day workers who make their living melt electronics and breathing in their fumes. We won't see vast areas uninhabited by agriculture because the ground water and air is so poisoned plants cannot even live there and they won't show kids swimming in the yellow river, a name the river has matured into because of limlitless industrial waste.

 

[glutenberg]

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
I hope there will be various independent groups doing air quality testing, and first sign of hazardous air quality a alert be made so countries can pull their athletes from the sporting events or at least have them delayed until it is safe.

I can see China trying to suppress/keep out any such groups, but i can see that ending very badly (worst case is they succeed and a athlete dies from smog).

Die from smog? Are you joking?

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: glutenberg

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
I hope there will be various independent groups doing air quality testing, and first sign of hazardous air quality a alert be made so countries can pull their athletes from the sporting events or at least have them delayed until it is safe.

I can see China trying to suppress/keep out any such groups, but i can see that ending very badly (worst case is they succeed and a athlete dies from smog).

Die from smog? Are you joking?

the sad thing is that thats a legitimate concern.

 

[jpeyton]

The world should boycott the entire thing, so I can win my pool.

 

[glutenberg]

Originally posted by: miketheidiot

Originally posted by: glutenberg

Originally posted by: ZzZGuy
I hope there will be various independent groups doing air quality testing, and first sign of hazardous air quality a alert be made so countries can pull their athletes from the sporting events or at least have them delayed until it is safe.

I can see China trying to suppress/keep out any such groups, but i can see that ending very badly (worst case is they succeed and a athlete dies from smog).

Die from smog? Are you joking?

the sad thing is that thats a legitimate concern.

I spend quite a bit of time in China and I have yet to die. I'm curious as to why they think a short exposure to China would lead to that conclusion.

 

[3chordcharlie]

Originally posted by: Slick5150

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
It should be up to the individual Athletes, not any government or sports governing body.

Countries go, or they don't go. All the athletes are part of their country's "team". Much like the U.S. team didn't compete in the Soviet olympics, and vice versa.


I agree with France that there needs to be some kind of boycott involved here. And the IOC should be ashamed they ever had the olympics there.

Agreed, the real 'embarrassment' should be shared by the western world that continues to ignore China's totalitarian abuses.