Athlete Questions Games' Spirit

Epoch Times: The Olympic Games is the pinnacle of any athlete's career, but not if it tramples on human lives, says a former Australian Olympic swimming champion.

Jan Becker, who represented Australia at the 1964 Tokyo Games, highlights that the Olympic spirit of "friendship, solidarity, dignity and fair play", as detailed in the Olympic charter, is precisely what the Chinese communist authorities must respect, if they are to be taken seriously by the international community.

With the Beijing 2008 Games fast approaching, international concern is building over the increasing human rights abuses in the People's Republic – starting from the state-run religious suppression to choked media freedom, and more recently the mass evictions of people from their homes to make way for Olympic-related developments.

"I don't think that is in the Olympic spirit, as what an Olympian would want. And if [the athletes] were to know this, they would feel quite sickened by it," Ms Becker told The Epoch Times.

Last week a leaked document from the Chinese authorities detailing an extensive list of "dangerous groups" considered a "threat".

The document listed 43 groups that are to be excluded from the Games, which include the Dalai Lama's supporters, Falun Gong practitioners, staff of any foreign media hostile to China and those who show "strong discontent" with the Chinese Communist Party.

Ms Becker hopes that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will make more effort to live up to the Olympic ideals and showcase a truly non-political sporting event.

"The Olympic charter says the Olympic Games should be held in a country where they treat people with dignity. They should say to China: you have not improved in these areas, you are not worthy of the Olympics."

While the drive to boycott the Games is gaining momentum from several human rights groups, Ms Becker expressed concern that most athletes and international sporting organizations are unaware of the extent to which Beijing is attempting to "fool the world".

"Human rights abuses are rampant throughout the country in the most horrific manner. As an Olympian, I am ashamed to say, the world regrettably looks on," she wrote in an open letter, addressing all sports-minded people of the world.