[tretcheenia]

No one is asking the athletes to boycott. Everyone realizes all that goes into qualifying and making an Olympic team in any country.

I think the calls for boycotting the Opening ceremony - I like what Morct reports from Ireland - is the least everyone can do.

The problem is the Chinese stranglehold on the world economy and we all know what talks and what walks don't we?

[JANALA]

I saw some footage of him and some photos, and didn't see him get attacked so I assumed he wasn't

From what I saw he was just being swarmed by policemen to make sure he was safe. It looked chaotic. Nothing quite as bad as police having to fight them off in some of the other footage.

The woman on the Charlotte news called him "that man."

[Tumarimmicdak]

And how far do we take this? For example, should the top eight men in tennis boycott Shanghai in protest to human rights violations?

I wrote a 200-page graduation thesis on politics in the Olympics once, and after all that research my opinions on how to deal with political issues in the Olympic Games are completely muddled, but one thing I really do believe is that no athlete should be forced to give up on all the sacrifices he or she has already made because of decisions made by governments. In the end, Olympic boycotts don't have that big a political impact (didn't see the Soviets up and pulling out of Afghanistan in 1980) and the only people really hurt are the ones who sacrificed the most to get there.

For tennis players/fans this may not mean as much, but speaking as someone who, for most of her life, was a competitive athlete in a sport where the Olympics were the pinnacle of achievement, I think it is absolutely wrong to ask individuals to walk away from something they've worked for all their lives for the sake of someone else's ability to make a political statement. Now, if individual athletes choose not to go because of the politics, that is of course their perogative. And I find the idea of boycotting the Opening Ceremonies intriguing. If I was an athlete I'd be plenty pissed about that, too, but not nearly as angry as if I flat out couldn't compete.

[LoohornePharp]

Now, that would be very interesting especially after the Olympics are over and the slots for YEC are filled.

Also, do you mean the Top 8 men and Top 8 doubles teams boycotting Shanghai?

Actually, I guess what I'm asking is where the line should be drawn... If the Olympics shouldn't be held in China, then why ATP-, WTA-, or ITF-sanctioned tennis tournaments? Or any other international event? It's just an interesting thought...

[bely832new]

I wrote a 200-page graduation thesis on politics in the Olympics once, and after all that research my opinions on how to deal with political issues in the Olympic Games are completely muddled, but one thing I really do believe is that no athlete should be forced to give up on all the sacrifices he or she has already made because of decisions made by governments. In the end, Olympic boycotts don't have that big a political impact (didn't see the Soviets up and pulling out of Afghanistan in 1980) and the only people really hurt are the ones who sacrificed the most to get there.

For tennis players/fans this may not mean as much, but speaking as someone who, for most of her life, was a competitive athlete in a sport where the Olympics were the pinnacle of achievement, I think it is absolutely wrong to ask individuals to walk away from something they've worked for all their lives for the sake of someone else's ability to make a political statement. Now, if individual athletes choose not to go because of the politics, that is of course their perogative. And I find the idea of boycotting the Opening Ceremonies intriguing. If I was an athlete I'd be plenty pissed about that, too, but not nearly as angry as if I flat out couldn't compete.

How about the African nation's threatened boycotts to keep South Africa out of the games, Pamchenko? That can be said to be at least a contributing factor to the end of apartheid, I believe.

I don't think anyone is saying that athletes should be made to pay for the political expressions and sentiments of their countrymen. But anyone who didn't see this coming had their head in the sand. And at least the plight of Tibet under the Chinese regime is getting to be known a lot better worldwide because of this.

[Tumarimmicdak]

Oh, I agree with both those things, actually, but the South Africa boycott was long term, far-reaching, and slow-burning. (And imposed by the IOC, which I don't think would do that now.) If people want to ban China from international competition, more power to them, but I don't think it can be done before this August. I mean, the IOC does keep Olympic backup sites, but considering all the problems in Athens in the first place, I'm not sure the IOC would be all kinds of keen to piss China off and try to make Greece throw something together. Sadly enough, it would take something much more drastic than human rights abuses to get the Games moved (like the actual destruction of the city of Beijing).

And I've never, ever understood how Tibet wasn't getting more attention in the first place, but that is a discussion for another time, I suppose.

[tretcheenia]

Actually, I guess what I'm asking is where the line should be drawn... If the Olympics shouldn't be held in China, then why ATP-, WTA-, or ITF-sanctioned tennis tournaments? Or any other international event? It's just an interesting thought...

Beijing is trying to buy the Australian Open Dry. Buy it and move it to Shanghai or Beijing (Too rushed to look it up). The Australians are quite worried to say the least. The Aussies argument has been tradition vs $$$. We'll see.

[bely832new]

And I've never, ever understood how Tibet wasn't getting more attention in the first place, but that is a discussion for another time, I suppose.

Maybe because Richard Gere and the Beastie Boys don't make for the sexiest spokespersons for the cause?

[JANALA]

Beijing is trying to buy the Australian Open Dry. Buy it and move it to Shanghai or Beijing (Too rushed to look it up). The Australians are quite worried to say the least. The Aussies argument has been tradition vs $$$.

I've also heard talks about moving the event every year, almost like a traveling Asiatic slam. Some are *trying* to argue that because this is the "Pacific" slam, it should not be constantly held in Melbourne. Of course the Australians go out of their way to uphold the importance of the AO being the only slam in that part of the world. Bringing in ball kids from Asia, their fund raisers after the Tsunami, etc.

I hope even the inclination to screw with the slams gets dropped. And soon.

[LoohornePharp]

Beijing is trying to buy the Australian Open Dry. Buy it and move it to Shanghai or Beijing (Too rushed to look it up). The Australians are quite worried to say the least. Their argument has been tradition vs $$$.

This is why I don't run a business. I've never had any respect for money. LOL! Except for my 401K, I'm not careful with money at all. If I have it, I spend it or donate it. Life is too short. If I was responsible for running a business, I'd run it into the ground in no time by establishing daycare centers, employer-sponsored fitness activities, financial aid for employees' children's college expenses, sensitivity training programs, etc...