25 June 2008
IOC rebukes Beijing over Tibet remarks
(Daily Telegraph) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued an unusual criticism of the Chinese authorities for linking policy on Tibet to the Olympics, following Zhang Qingli’s remarks during the Lhasa relay of the Olympic torch. The Communist Party has appeared to violate the very principle both its leaders and the IOC have regularly called upon - that politics and sport should not mix. "The IOC regrets that political statements were made during the closing ceremony of the torch relay in Tibet", it said in a statement. "We have written to BOCOG [Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games] to remind them of the need to separate sport and politics and to ask for their support in making sure that such situations do not arise again". The IOC has little scope to punish Beijing, but the statement will be an embarrassment to the authorities, which has been heavily reliant on the committee's support in trying to prevent boycotts of the Games ceremonies by politicians. IOC committee members have already started to express concerns about the Olympics for other reasons. In April, Jacques Rogge, the IOC president, called on Beijing to honour its commitment to improve human rights ahead of the Games, while other members have criticised a lack of guarantees for broadcasters that they will be allowed to operate freely in the city in August.