International Law

Beijing Olympics becoming politicized, UK Olympic Association backs down after stand-off with athletes

By Chris Devonshire-Ellis

Section 51 of Olympic Charter likely to be a key issue of interpretation

Feb. 13 - In the second potentially embarrassing event to hit the Olympics this week it has emerged that the British Olympic Association has had to back down from proposed clauses it had wanted to insert into athletes contracts to prevent them speaking out on politically sensitive issues before, during and after the Beijing Games.

The clause, the first change to British athletes Olympic contracts for 20 years, was to be based on the Olympic charter’s own Section 51 which bans athletes from making political, racial and religious protests and propaganda, and has created uproar within the UK national press.

The BOA have consequently had to withdraw the clause in question, however Chief Executive Simon Clegg stated ?The interpretation of one part of the draft of the BOA Team Members Agreement has gone far beyond the provision of the Olympic Charter. This is not our intention nor is it our desire to restrict the freedom of speech amongst our athletes, and our final, revised draft will reflect this.? (more…)

Full post as published by China Briefing Blog on February 12, 2008 (boomark / email).