Fianna Fail Call For Boycott Of Olympics

The recent violent clashes between the Tibetan people and China have moved a Fianna Fail TD to recommend a boycott of the Olympic Games opening ceremony.

Mr Andrews addressed the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI), recommending they withdraw from the opening ceremony of the Beijing Games as a political gesture, although Mr Andrews stopped short of a total boycott of the games.

The OCI President, Pat Hickey, said in a recent statement “Olympic boycotts do not work”.

He said: “If it were not for the games in Beijing this year, the coverage given to the many protest groups would simply not see the light of day. It is the very holding of the games in Beijing that is allowing people to have their views heard and discussed in the world's media.”

However, there is growing concern over the events currently enfolding in Tibet as China continues to flood its people into the country, constituting a backhand occupation by the world power, and its use of tough tactics against protestors of which 140 have been killed according to Tibetan sources.

China claims the death toll is closer to a quarter of the figure.

Tight controls on information and media freedoms continue to be held by China, and there is growing concern the Chinese government is using the games to strengthen its hand against any involvement from the UN security council.

In an article in The Times, Conservative MP, Michael Portillo compared the actions of the Chinese government to those of the Nazi party during the 1936 Olymics in Berlin. The Chinese government has rejected the claims.

Ironically, the then US President Jimmy Carter, supported by the UK's PM, Margaret Thatcher, decided to launch a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics as a result of the Soviet Union's entry into Afghanistan.

Taoiseach Charles Haughey then followed suit, removing the funding from the Olympic teams and requesting they do not attend.

However, the OCI disregarded the policy, taking a team to the event and winning two medals.

(DW)