Olympic Torch

[DIVE BUDDHA]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

the games are sport and sport should not be politicised no matter how poor the chinese record on Human rights is

the chinese are useing the games to promote themselves dsd

and why would they use politicians to great the torch off the plane ?

and politiians will stop at nothing to promote themselves ,even with sport

[frosty the snowman]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

the games are sport and sport should not be politicised no matter how poor the chinese record on Human rights is

Agreed but that's not how things actually are is it?

[Scubee]

AFAIUI. it is traditional that the flame makes an appearance in all the olympic countries during the four years between games.

it isn't about politics, or human rights, but about harmony, sportsmanship and taking part.

Sadly, the first overtakes the second.

[Steve L.]

Originally Posted by Adrian Kelland

You and every builder type in the country if it is to be finished in time.

Bottom line is that if all the Polish builders bugger off home, the Olympic Stadium won`t get built

[dry suit diver]

Originally Posted by frosty the snowman

Well said.

and when the greeks had the games were there comments about the shoddy treatment of the english who had been arrested for spying when the info they had was freely available in Janes.???


yes its poor that china have a dodgy human rights record but I don't think any country is blameless when it comes to this.


the torch is going through all olympic countries its not a political thing its a sporting thing and yes I am aware that it never quite works that way in practice.

are we all hopping up and down at mugabes record on human rights or the Yanks for holding people in cuba, (which strangely enough they won't normally deal with to help the poor population there) so they can deny them the rights under the Geneva convention and even the yanks call it a WAR on terror.


but heyt its sport and its in the capital so thats fair game.

[MarkP]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

yes its poor that china have a dodgy human rights record but I don't think any country is blameless when it comes to this.

China was given the games on the condition that they improved their human rights behaviour, something they have conspicuously failed to do. The IOC claimed that the games would help nudge China towards better treatment of dissenting citizens.

Therefore these games at least are inextricably entwined with politics.

An irony is that they are imprisoning people who speak out against the Olympics.

[NotDeadYet]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

and when the greeks had the games were there comments about the shoddy treatment of the english who had been arrested for spying when the info they had was freely available in Janes.???

How many of them were shot, had fingernails pulled out or their countries forcibly occupied?

Originally Posted by DIVE BUDDHA

what are the chinese trying to prove by parading the olympic torch through the

uk.

That the UK is going to be so dependant on China in the next decade that Brown will do anything to appease them.

and does anyone actualy care ?

I care about a massive police operation to protect a publicity stunt and it's B-list participants.

Originally Posted by Scubee

it isn't about politics, or human rights, but about harmony, sportsmanship and taking part.

Sadly, the first overtakes the second.

Athletes do not get exemption from conscience or opinion because they are good at a sport. Look at Mohammed Ali or Jesse Owens. It's a shame more athletes can't show a fraction of the guts Ali showed.

We're told continually that they should be role models. I don't want my role models to keep their gobs shut because the people that hold the purse-strings tell them to. I was a kid when Ali was at his peak, the impression he left on me has been massive, one of the few people that I would hold in "hero" status. People like that are true greats, not the ones who go along with the whole dog and pony show with their heads in the sand.

Cheers,

Stuart

[The Penguin]

Originally Posted by Scubee

AFAIUI. it is traditional that the flame makes an appearance in all the olympic countries during the four years between games.

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

the torch is going through all olympic countries its not a political thing its a sporting thing...

A tradition started in 1936, when Nazi Germany hosted the games, for political purposes...

[String]

You can't separate sport from politics especially as every country uses the hosting of a major sporting event to boost its world image and uses it for publicity.

Turning a blind eye effectively condones Chinas actions whether people like it or not.

[String]

Originally Posted by dry suit diver

and when the greeks had the games were there comments about the shoddy treatment of the english who had been arrested for spying when the info they had was freely available in Janes.???

The same people who were asked nicely FOUR times not to photograph there by security AND who actually crossed the line from public into military ground before eventually being arrested?

The same people who have been cautioned by police doing the same in other countries?

Those people got exactly what they deserved. Regardless of availability of information they repeatedly ignored warning signs and verbal requests and then trespassed photographing a front line active airbase that (i) is used by NATO on live operations and (ii) is used in the still-fragile situation between Greece and turkey for fighter cover.
They could and probably should have been treated far more severely.

Try wandering into Fairford and take lots of photos when the B-2 is there and see what reaction you get. Or if you fancy some sunshine why not try doing the same at Guam, Diego Garcia or Kuwait.

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