Say It Ain't So, Nicole ...

MMan said:

Has Nicole Cooke (among other Brits) agreed to this?

http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/10/photo-of-the-day-2/

"The British government is requiring its athletes to sign an oath to
stay mum about Chinese human rights abuses while competing at the
Beijing Olympics. Refuse to sign, and the government won't let them
compete."

Since Nicole would seem to be one of the British athletes most likely
to win a medal:

"Here's hoping a British athlete signs the oath, then breaks it after
winning a medal. It'd be nice to see the British government put in the
awkward position of actually trying to enforce the ridiculous gag
order."

Are other countries doing anything like this? If so, why would I not
be surprised?

(Next: uttering the words "Free Tibet!" or "No Forced Abortions!"
will be a doping violation ...)

Western governments are operating out of manners and greed. They are
fearful the ancient culture of China will view us as too boorish to be
proper friends (allies) but merely rich enough to be proper
acquaintances (customers). They (the West) are still under the
mistaken impression that China is going to buy a billion refrigerators
from GE.

China has been open for a long time now and still, when the USS
Walmart casts off and sails back to Shanghai it does so pretty much
empty. Almost no one who was actually on the Long March is alive
anymore and as soon as the last of the octogenarians who enjoyed
plentiful eggs and meat under the communists are dead some sort of
Democracy will develop, if only to get people what they need and
desire.

But the Chinese people (as opposed to their government) are hard
working, clever folks; they'll be buying their own fridges, thank you,
not GE's. If it's from a Chinese GE plant, well, GE's CEO can continue
to live in Santa Barbara and ski in Aspen. As usual it's the schmuck
in Ft. Wayne who will lose his shirt. But at least he'll have a new
fridge from Walmart to keep the bologna fresh.

MMan said:

Has Nicole Cooke (among other Brits) agreed to this?

http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/10/photo-of-the-day-2/

"The British government is requiring its athletes to sign an oath to
stay mum about Chinese human rights abuses while competing at the
Beijing Olympics. Refuse to sign, and the government won't let them
compete."

Since Nicole would seem to be one of the British athletes most likely
to win a medal:

"Here's hoping a British athlete signs the oath, then breaks it after
winning a medal. It'd be nice to see the British government put in the
awkward position of actually trying to enforce the ridiculous gag
order."

Are other countries doing anything like this?  If so, why would I not
be surprised?

(Next:  uttering the words "Free Tibet!" or "No Forced Abortions!"
will be a doping violation ...)

Why is the goverment in a position to have anything to say about this
anyway? What do they mean by "won't let them compete"? Gordon Brown is
in charge of plane tickets or something?

Joseph

In article
<[email hidden]>,

MMan said:

Has Nicole Cooke (among other Brits) agreed to this?

http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/10/photo-of-the-day-2/

"The British government is requiring its athletes to sign an oath to
stay mum about Chinese human rights abuses while competing at the
Beijing Olympics. Refuse to sign, and the government won't let them
compete."

I think they should shut up. We hear endless ragging
about the politicization of the Olympics, but athletes
themselves will shoot off their mouthes, because they
`feel' it needs to be said. Yeah, some genetic freak
hears their are human rights violations and uses the
podium as a political soap box. What! There are human
rights violations in Great Britain, I mean _China_. Alert
the media! Alright, the Olympics are political. As an
athlete you are hired by your government, so shut up
and do your job; or else find somebody who will pay you
to parrot political rhetoric.

Podium etiquette:
* Step up on to the podium.
* Accept the trophy graciously.
* Smile all around.
* Wave to the crowd.
* Thank the organizers and your team.
* Step down.

--
Michael Press

MMan said:

Has Nicole Cooke (among other Brits) agreed to this?

http://www.theagitator.com/2008/02/10/photo-of-the-day-2/

"The British government is requiring its athletes to sign an oath to
stay mum about Chinese human rights abuses while competing at the
Beijing Olympics. Refuse to sign, and the government won't let them
compete."

Since Nicole would seem to be one of the British athletes most likely
to win a medal:

"Here's hoping a British athlete signs the oath, then breaks it after
winning a medal. It'd be nice to see the British government put in the
awkward position of actually trying to enforce the ridiculous gag
order."

Are other countries doing anything like this? If so, why would I not
be surprised?

(Next: uttering the words "Free Tibet!" or "No Forced Abortions!"
will be a doping violation ...)

I wouldn't doubt that other countries are doing something similar. I
heard that the USOC has access to hundreds of respirators, but aren't
going to let the athletes wear them in public. They don't want to
offend anyone by admitting that the city is dangerously polluted.

[email hidden] a écrit profondement:

| I wouldn't doubt that other countries are doing something similar. I
| heard that the USOC has access to hundreds of respirators, but aren't
| going to let the athletes wear them in public. They don't want to
| offend anyone by admitting that the city is dangerously polluted.

Right. Some IOC Wankerz must have got rich for sxelecting that
[censored]

--
Davey Crockett
-
Driving a Stake through the
Heart of the Politically Correct
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg146/sylviastolz/freesylvia.jpg

"Davey Crockett" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

[email hidden] a écrit profondement:

| I wouldn't doubt that other countries are doing something similar. I
| heard that the USOC has access to hundreds of respirators, but aren't
| going to let the athletes wear them in public. They don't want to
| offend anyone by admitting that the city is dangerously polluted.

Right. Some IOC Wankerz must have got rich for sxelecting that
[censored]

I believe you are probably completely correct on this. Since they started
allowing professional athletes into the Olympics the sort of IOC management
has continued to evolve into newly more enriched upper class snobs.

"Tom Kunich" a écrit profondement:

| > Right. Some IOC Wankerz must have got rich for selecting that
| > [censored]
|
| I believe you are probably completely correct on this. Since they
| started allowing professional athletes into the Olympics the sort of
| IOC management has continued to evolve into newly more enriched upper
| class snobs.
|

It's common knowledge that the awards go to the highest bidder

Additionally, I have a Doctor in Toronto whos husband was on the 2008
Toronto Negociating Team.

I asked about Pound's vote and she intimated that he had voted for
China.

The Negociating team was asked leading questions, make of them what
you will, like "How badly does Toronto want the Games" and "What other
benefits can you provide?"

In any case it is virtually common knowledge that the venue awards, as
well as the results of any competition judged on points, are up for
sale.

_From my 2004, November 26, SixDay newsfeed:_

Note that the other 30 were not even investigated.........;

International Olympic Committee chiefs have recommended that Ivan
Slavkov,
Bulgaria's top Olympic official, be expelled from the organisation.

Slavkov was suspended in August after being implicated in a BBC
documentary on alleged corruption.

The 64-year-old was filmed discussing how votes could be bought in
bidding for the 2012 Olympics.

The IOC discussed the case on Friday but no action can be taken until
the full quota of members meet in July.

A two-thirds majority of the 100-plus members is needed for Slavkov's
expulsion.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said: "The executive board has considered
that Mr Slavkov has not abided by the Olympic charter and has
tarnished the reputation of the IOC.

"There is zero tolerance for unethical behaviour in the IOC and
today's decision reinforces this position."

The BBC gave the IOC the names of more than 30 members allegedly open
to corruption.

However, Rogge does not envisage any action against other individuals,
and said the list has "no credibility, no proof, no substantiated
evidence.

"You can't condemn people on the basis of hearsay."

--
Davey Crockett
-
Driving a Stake through the
Heart of the Politically Correct
http://i247.photobucket.com/albums/gg146/sylviastolz/freesylvia.jpg

Davey Crockett said:

IOC president Jacques Rogge said: .....snip

Quoted message said:

"You can't condemn people on the basis of hearsay."

Irony kills.