US lawmakers demand IOC reaffirm athletes’ free-speech rights during Beijing Winter Olympics
- International Olympic Committee told it must ‘clarify that free speech by athletes is absolutely guaranteed’ after Beijing official says remarks are subject to punishment
- Unhappy with committee’s support of China, Congress also sees introduction of Irresponsible Olympic Collaboration Act, which would strip IOC of tax-exempt status
US lawmakers have called on the International Olympic Committee to reaffirm the free-speech rights of athletes in the Winter Games, after a Beijing official warned that speech that violated Chinese regulations would be punished.
“The International Olympic Committee – and its president Thomas Bach – must immediately clarify that free speech by athletes is absolutely guaranteed at the Olympics,” a bipartisan group of eight congressional representatives wrote on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Yang Shu, the deputy director general of the Beijing organising committee, said that any behaviour or remarks that are “against the Olympic spirit, and especially against Chinese laws and regulations, are also subjected to certain punishment”.
In their statement, the legislators said Yang’s words contradicted pledges the IOC made in an October meeting when its representatives “provided explicit assurances of their commitment to protect athletes if they are prevented from speaking out freely on human rights during the Beijing games”.
The IOC has long prohibited political protest by athletes at the Games, but last year amended its rules to permit participants to express their views on the field before the start of events; in engagements with the press; and on social media.