DARFUR GROUPS CRY ‘FOUL:’ CHINA HAS LONG POLITICIZED THE OLYMPICS

China accuses Darfur advocates of politicizing Olympics, advocates counter with China’s historic use of Olympics for political ends

WASHINGTON – In a statement today, the Save Darfur Coalition and Dream for Darfur took issue with China’s accusation of “politicization” of the Olympics and provided a timeline of China’s consistent use of the Games in a political manner. Leaving aside the immense political benefits China clearly hopes to accrue from hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing has a decades-old history of using the Olympic Games to raise foreign policy concerns.

China’s use of the Olympics has been most forceful and long-standing on the issue of Taiwan’s legitimacy. Also of interest, in 1980 China joined a boycott of the Olympics over the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan.

“Going back 50 years, China has used the Olympics as a political tool with regard to Taiwan,” said Jill Savitt, executive director of Dream for Darfur and Save Darfur Coalition board member. “China also joined the boycott of the Games in 1980 in protest of the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.”

Savitt continued, “Darfur advocates cry ‘foul’ on the hypocritical charge of politicization. China is not being honest about its own use of the Olympics over time – and even its political use of the Games right now. China is the one politicizing the Games to improve its image while facilitating a genocide in Darfur.”

TIMELINE OF CHINA’S POLITICIZATION OF THE OLYMPICS

TAIWAN

In 1956, China withdrew from the Melbourne Olympic Games in protest of the inclusion of the Taiwanese delegation.

China then did not participate in the Olympics again until 1980.

In 1972, China explicitly declined an IOC invitation to the Olympics because of Taiwan’s participation.

In 1976, the “Two Chinas” issue arose again, when the People’s Republic of China accompanied its request for admission to the Olympic Games with a demand for the expulsion of Taiwanese athletes.[1]

(Additionally the PRC made it clear that it would refuse to participate in the Olympics as long as a Taiwanese delegation remained. [2] In response and contrary to the wishes of the International Olympic Committee, the Canadian government then required all Taiwanese athletes to drop the name “Republic of China” [Taiwan’s official name] before allowing them to participate. [3] The Canadian demand was linked to the PRC’s influence over Canada and the Canadian desire to remain consistent with its choice of the PRC as the China’s legitimate government. [4] According to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, this ruling was a political decision that Canada could not withdraw from. [5] When the IOC presented Canada with a compromise in which Taiwan could participate under a different name yet keep its flag and anthem, the PRC ambassador strongly objected.[6] With the Chinese Olympic Committee unwilling to compromise, Taiwan dropped out of the Olympics. [7]) Still, China did not participate in that Olympics.

In 1979 the PRC clearly stated at a Montevideo IOC meeting that there was only one China, that it was governed by the PRC, and that the IOC would have to accept this. [8]

At the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, the PRC once again demanded that Taiwan be forbidden to use the name Republic of China and its own flag and anthem. After the ruling Committee agreed, Taiwan withdrew its athletes. [9]

U.S.S.R.

Also in 1980, in protest of the U.S.S.R.’s invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, the PRC expressed its intention to boycott the Soviet Olympics.[10]Specifically, as the Summer Games drew closer, the PRC made it clear that China would boycott the Olympics if Soviet troops were not withdrawn by May 24.[11][11] Chinese newspapers criticized the Soviet Union for “aggressive wars” and granting visas to ROC representatives, acts that it considered contrary to “educat[ing] young people through sport in a spirit of better understanding between each other and of friendship, thereby helping to build a better and more peaceful world.”[12] By May 24, China joined the boycott.[13]

[8][8] Gerald Chan, “The "Two-Chinas" Problem and the Olympic Formula”.  Pacific Affairs vol 58. 3 (Autumn, 1985): 473-490 <http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0030-851X%28198523%2958%3A3%3C473%3AT%22PATO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-X>.