Olympics this year - Boycott?

[vespax]

I was just thinking, the Olympics are in China this year and there has been lots of news about how they are building this and that for the games.

Than came the story about the athlete who is not going to compete because of pollution levels.

And Brits not being allowed to comment on Human rights there.

Than there is that little Tibet issue that has been boiling over in the past few days.

China accuses Dalai Lama

So, in all honesty, should a boycott of some type happen against the games there? And if so, what type?

My thoughts - Yes. Tourist boycott of games with some countries not participating. And some economic sanctions, although they would more be a slap in the face than actually hurtful to the country.

 

[w1z4rd]

Economic sanctions against china? now theres a thought.

 

[theratman]

Well its the olympic commitee's fault for giving them the games in the 1st place!

 

[Piepalook]

Economic sanctions against china? now theres a thought.

Western economies should worry if the reverse happens.

 

[Alan]

So, in all honesty, should a boycott of some type happen against the games there? And if so, what type?

My thoughts - Yes. Tourist boycott of games with some countries not participating. And some economic sanctions, although they would more be a slap in the face than actually hurtful to the country.

IMO they shouldn't have got it in the first place. Then again the Olympics has galvanized people to confront the Chinese government. Athletes and fans should boycott it.

Hopefully footballers will do the same for 2010. How can you play a massive footbal tournament when at least 50 people a day are being murdered

Back to China

Haile Gebrselassie says he will not run in the marathon at the 2008 Beijing Olympics because of the city's air pollution levels.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7287578.stm

 

[Piepalook]

IMO they shouldn't have got it in the first place. Then again the Olympics has galvanized people to confront the Chinese government. Athletes and fans should boycott it.

Hopefully footballers will do the same for 2010. How can you play a massive footbal tournament when at least 50 people a day are being murdered

Back to China



http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7287578.stm

True, nothing like a big event to highlight problems in a country.
I wonder how many football fans are going to get murdered?

 

[StrongTurd]

Haile Gebrselassie might be one of the best runners in history but his reason for not running in Beijing is ridiculous. There are thousands of people that are over 90 years of age that have lived in Beijing their entire lives. Exposure to the Beijing air for 2 weeks will definitely not kill him. The Chinese have gone to extraordinary lengths to increase the air quality, by the way, even going as far as to relocate entire industrial districts to new locations.

Personally I find the thought of a boycott to be ludicrous. If you want to boycott every country that hosts the Olympics if they have government policies that offend someone then you'll never have an Olympic games. There are more than enough reason to Boycott London, for example. They are illegally occupying a sovereign country, for example. Same can be said for almost any other country. The Olympics is supposed to be the epitomy of global reconcilliation. Granted, politics will always be part of sport but do not boycott the Olympics.

 

[killadoob]

have u guys seen the air quality? its shocking

u cannot even see the stadium from distance because of the smog

 

[boramk]

Yeah I've been to Beijeng

Can't look 20metres ahead of you

 

[Alan]

There are more than enough reason to Boycott London, for example. They are illegally occupying a sovereign country, for example. Same can be said for almost any other country. The Olympics is supposed to be the epitomy of global reconcilliation. Granted, politics will always be part of sport but do not boycott the Olympics.

Another post fitting of your nick.

Yes having it in a country that removed a brutal dictator is the same as having the tournament in a county run by a brutal dictatorship

have u guys seen the air quality? its shocking

u cannot even see the stadium from distance because of the smog

Yeah it's horrific

 

[StrongTurd]

Another post fitting of your nick.

Yes having it in a country that removed a brutal dictator is the same as having the tournament in a county run by a brutal dictatorship

And there's the obligatory by ol' Anal.

Gee, these British are such nice people for roaming the world and ridding it of brutal dictators. When are they going to do the same in their former colony north of the Limpopo?

 

[chiskop]

Haile Gebrselassie might be one of the best runners in history but his reason for not running in Beijing is ridiculous. There are thousands of people that are over 90 years of age that have lived in Beijing their entire lives. Exposure to the Beijing air for 2 weeks will definitely not kill him.

When he's running 2:50 per km, he's drawing in a lot more air than than a 90 year-old beijingian. Do we want to have a race to see who can survive, or who's the fastest over the course?

FWIW - I don't think it is a great idea running a marathon under those conditions, or at altitude like in Mexico; or anywhere where the athletes have to cope with the conditions rather than the competition.

Back to the original question about a boycott: the people that suffer under a boycott are the athletes. I'm not in favour of a boycott. (Note to the binary thinkers: this does not mean I support China's policies in Africa, Tibet or wrt Human rights - I just think that a boycott doesn't solve anything.)

 

[Alan]

Gee, these British are such nice people for roaming the world and ridding it of brutal dictators. When are they going to do the same in their former colony north of the Limpopo?

Last time I checked they're pretty busy at the moment. Maybe the French will do them a favour

Do we want to have a race to see who can survive, or who's the fastest over the course?

just think that a boycott doesn't solve anything

Explain?

 

[chiskop]

What did the US boycott of Moscow in 1980 solve?

What did the USSR boycott of LA 1984 solve?

 

[Tux]

And there's the obligatory by ol' Anal.

Gee, these British are such nice people for roaming the world and ridding it of brutal dictators. When are they going to do the same in their former colony north of the Limpopo?

I don't see you doing a lot about zim, except complaining. Maybe that's the secret.. complain enough and ole bob will get so depressed he'll slit his wrists with a zanu-pf supporters card

 

[StrongTurd]

I don't see you doing a lot about zim, except complaining. Maybe that's the secret.. complain enough and ole bob will get so depressed he'll slit his wrists with a zanu-pf supporters card

I'm not quite following you. What do you want me to do? Invade Zim with my .22 and overthrow Bob's regime?

 

[Tux]

I'm not quite following you. What do you want me to do? Invade Zim with my .22 and overthrow Bob's regime?

Well, if you're not going to do anything about it then why on god's earth do you complain so much about it?

 

[Nod]

Back on topic ...

An athletes muscles needs a lot of oxygen in a competition like this. The smog is not going to help them going for record breaking times. I won't be surprised if we don't get any record breaking speeds during the Olympics.

Antarctica might be a prime spot for the Olympics in a few years, the way ice is melting in any case.

 

[StrongTurd]

Well, if you're not going to do anything about it then why on god's earth do you complain so much about it?

Again, what are you on about? I would suggest that you read the context in which I mentioned Zim further up this thread and then come and re-phrase your question. I'm not complaining about anything.

 

[Alan]

What did the US boycott of Moscow in 1980 solve?

What did the USSR boycott of LA 1984 solve?

This is China 2008. Very different world to that of the cold war adversaries. Do you not think applying pressure on the regime is a good thing. It all adds up doesn't it?

I don't see you doing a lot about zim, except complaining. Maybe that's the secret.. complain enough and ole bob will get so depressed he'll slit his wrists with a zanu-pf supporters card