26 June 2008
Beijing denies "politicising" Olympics
(AFP) Beijing has denied that it violated the prohibition on politicising the Olympics when Zhang Qingli, the TAR Communist Party chief, called for government opponents to be "smashed" to protect the Games. The comments prompted a strong rebuke from the IOC, which told Beijing to "separate sport and politics". While not directly referring to Zhang by name, a Chinese foreign ministry official denied that the key Olympic principle had been breached. "I don't think their purpose is to politicise the Olympics but rather to create a stable and harmonious environment for the Olympics", spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters. "So you can't say relevant remarks by relevant officials reflect a Chinese position of politicising the Olympics".