British athletes fuming over Olympic gag order

BRITISH Olympic chiefs will force athletes to sign a contract promising not to speak out about China's appalling human-rights record - or face being banned from travelling to Beijing.

The move, which raises the spectre of the order given to the England football team to give a Nazi salute in Berlin in 1938, immediately provoked a storm of protest.
The controversial clause has been inserted into athletes' contracts for the first time and forbids them from making any political comment about countries staging the Olympic Games.
Most other countries, including Australia, will not order their competitors to keep quiet but will urge them to concentrate on their sport rather than get embroiled in political arguments.
To date, only Britain, New Zealand and Belgium have banned their athletes from giving political opinions while competing at the Games.
From the moment British athletes, likely to include the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips and Paula Radcliffe, sign up they will be gagged from commenting on China's politics, human-rights abuses or illegal occupation of Tibet.
Prince Charles has already let it be known that he will not go to China, even if he is invited by Games organisers. The Prince is also a long-time supporter of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan leader.
Yesterday, the British Olympic Association (BOA) confirmed that any athlete who refuses to sign the agreements will not be allowed to travel to Beijing.
Should a competitor agree to the clause, then speak their mind about China, they will be put on the next plane home.
The clause, in section 4 of the contract, simply states: "(Athletes) are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues." It then refers competitors to Section 51 of the International Olympic Committee charter, which "provides for no kind of demonstration, or political, religious or racial propaganda in the Olympic sites, venues or other areas".
BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said: "There are all sorts of organisations who would like athletes to use the Olympic Games as a vehicle to publicise their causes. As a team we are ambassadors of the country and we have to conform to an appropriate code of conduct."
However, human rights campaigner Lord David Alton condemned the move as "making a mockery" of the right to free speech.
Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said: "What we will be saying to the athletes is that it's best to concentrate on your competitions. But they're entitled to have their opinions and express them. They're free to speak."