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China's New Olympic Rules

FRIDAY JUNE 6 2008 9:00 PM

Submitted by Coyotemike. Edited By FearTheReaper.

TAGS: China, Olympics, human rights

Ahh, the Olympics: the traditions; the majesty; the competitive spirit; the graceful athleticism and the...the political restrictions?

That's right. China, not satisfied with infringing on their own citizens' rights to protest against the government, or cracking down on claims of independence of different areas, now they have released a list of rules for foreign visitors coming for the Games. These include:

No printed material that is critical of China

No rallies or demonstrations

Olympic Tickets do not necessarily mean an entry visa will be issued

No smuggling in Opium

(since there's no history of opium in China)

Do not insult the Chinese flag or other national Chinese symbols

No religious or political banners

Some of these make sense, like the rules of what to do if you get food poisoning, and I'm sure that plenty of host countries have refused entry visas to some people who had Olympic tickets. But some of these count as suppression of what are considered basic human rights.

�A person�s ability to express his or her opinion is a basic human right and as such does not need to have a specific clause in the Olympic Charter because its place is implicit,� said Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, at a meeting in Beijing in April.

It should be noted that Olympic rules have, for over 50 years, included a ban on political, religious, and racial propaganda on Olympic sites, but that is more about suspending political differences and descriminations than China's version:

The advisory issued by the Beijing Organizing Committee includes a ban on bringing into China �anything detrimental to China�s politics, economy, culture or moral standards, including printed material, film negatives, photos, records, movies, tape recordings, videotapes, optical discs and other items.�

China was supposed to, as part of their winning bid in 2001, improve their human rights records.

We're still waiting.

56 Comments

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abbazappa

Los Osos, CA

June 2006

JUN 06, 2008 09:13 PM

Yay, isn't Communism grand

DevilsReject

Cleveland, OH

February 2007

JUN 06, 2008 09:21 PM

Don't forget about the microchips in Olympic tickets with all the ticket holder's personal information on it.

MisterEnrolled

Birmingham, AL

October 2005

JUN 06, 2008 09:22 PM

If you finish 1st in any event while high on Opium, then fair play to you.

Squire

I'm lost

November 2003

JUN 06, 2008 09:33 PM

Did somebody say BOYCOTT!?!

Weatherpunk

Japan

June 2008

JUN 07, 2008 02:09 AM

Big_McLargehuge said:
If you finish 1st in any event while high on Opium, then fair play to you.

Given the wacky, directly-impacted-by-industry weather changes happening in China + the equivalent of a high school chemistry lab in at least one random athlete's body, whatever opium they may ingest would likely be converted into heroin before it reached their heart.

I'm going to make an early prediction that China takes gold this season in Protest Suppression. Myanmar for a photo-finish silver...

Weatherpunk

Japan

June 2008

JUN 07, 2008 02:14 AM

Does the IOC care so much about simply HAVING a Summer Games that they wouldn't pull China's hosting rights and maybe just co-ordinate to have a pre-existing site used as an auxiliary location? I'm sure most countries wouldn't balk at the sudden upswing in tourism if they already had infrastructure in place.

China getting the games was a gamble to start with, and I think letting them keep it after a lack of measurable change (as stipulated by the IOC) is the equivalent of hoping the card dealer will feel guilty when you ante up with your kids' college funds & your spouse's kidney.

Wendy

SUICIDEGIRL

Israel

JUN 07, 2008 02:35 AM

My grandmother went on a tour of China about 20 years ago with a big group. At one point, their guide cracked a couple of jokes about the Chinese government. The next morning, with no warning, they had a new tour guide. True story!

Strega

Minneapolis, MN

October 2005

JUN 07, 2008 02:56 AM

I can't say I'm surprised. I really think they were a bad choice to host. And that condition that they have to improve their human rights record is a joke. Everyone knew they weren't going to do it.

Cassiel

Aurora, CO

September 2004

JUN 07, 2008 09:20 AM

IDGAS

Jackson Heights, NY

March 2004

JUN 07, 2008 10:32 AM

Ah, China the land of low cost manufacturing, the forgotten rural masses, and a huge income disparity.

BTW, China is run by "thugs and goons" originally said by Jack Cafferty and fully supported by IDGAS

Chainlink

Christmas Island

August 2005

JUN 07, 2008 10:39 AM

IDGAS said:
Ah, China the land of low cost manufacturing, the forgotten rural masses, and a huge income disparity.

BTW, China is run by "thugs and goons" originally said by Jack Cafferty and fully supported by IDGAS

So essentially it's just like here, except with more manufacturing ?

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

IDGAS

Jackson Heights, NY

March 2004

JUN 07, 2008 10:56 AM

Chainlink said:

So essentially it's just like here, except with more manufacturing ?

SPOILERS! (Click to view)

Right. It is just jealousy on my part

Rude_Ruca

I'm lost

December 2004

JUN 07, 2008 11:30 AM

GAHHHHH! argh!!!.....China OWNS our fucking debt.....when the FUCK will the US get a clue....it's nauseating how dependent we have become on those fascist fools! Gah! Back in high school, probably about almost 10 years ago, I tried to do my own little version of a boycott of all things China. Heh, only last about one year. Besides realizing that my actions were only a mere pepper spot on the juice glass that was/is international commerce, do you know how HARD that was? In fact, I remember I was shopping around for some new hiking boots, and OMG! Not ONE DAMN pair of boots were made in the good ol US of A.....Wake the fuck UP!!!! OK, probably the LEAST insightful post you will see here today, but, well, it just seemed like a good forum for a good ol fashioned rant. thanks!

dholokov

Toronto, ON

April 2003

JUN 07, 2008 11:41 AM

Weatherpunk said:
Does the IOC care so much about simply HAVING a Summer Games that they wouldn't pull China's hosting rights and maybe just co-ordinate to have a pre-existing site used as an auxiliary location? I'm sure most countries wouldn't balk at the sudden upswing in tourism if they already had infrastructure in place.

.

On behalf of the city that placed second, the time for that idea has long passed.

(And not to make it all about my city, but every time Toronto places second for an olympic bid, the winner is pretty suspect. ((Atlanta for the bribery, Beijing for being Beijing)).

mec_nukka

I'm lost

April 2008

JUN 07, 2008 12:04 PM

Yeah, Beijing's really going wacky over the Olympics. They also very suddenly and without warning issued a ban on the import or handling of a broad range of chemical commodities for like a two month period, for reasons no one can really figure out. Since these chemicals are feedstocks that eventually end up, in one form or another, in a good chunk of the finished products China exports, you can imagine the disruptive impact this could have on China's manufacturing sector. But that's classic China fuckupery. The ban could also have reverberative impacts on other markets as well, particularly the US.

They also, as far as I can tell, seem to have issued a very sudden change in policy regarding what documentation is required for obtaining a China entry visa (at least for US citizens), which has left me scrambling today to collect, fax and FedEx a bunch of extra things.

As one western dude I know there dryly put it the other day: "They do things a bit differently here."

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