The British Olympic Association (BOA) was forced into a humiliating, and well deserved, climbdown yesterday over its pathetic attempt to bar UK athletes from talking about politics and human rights during the Beijing Olympics.
The BOA had initially insisted that British athletes, if they wanted to compete in Beijing, would have to sign a contract stating that they "are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues" involving the host country.
Needless to say, this incredibly inept attempt at thought control went down like a lead balloon; and the BOA found itself under almost as much attack as the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The BOA has now attempted to rewrite history, and perform an emergency makeover of its PR.
BOA Chief Executive, Simon Clegg, said in a statement:
"This is not our intention, nor is it our desire to restrict athletes' freedom of speech and the final agreement will reflect this."
The BOA now claim that it had only wanted to draw athletes' attention to a rule in the Olympic charter barring political propaganda at Olympic venues.
BOA claim that the goal is to focus Olympics' coverage on sports, rather than politics.
Well, they would say that wouldn't they?
what a surprise!! a government quango decides to use facist tactics to make life easier for themselves. we can only hope that some british athlete is strong enough to stand up to these simpering gutless bullies. i hope this fiasco of a games dies a death
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