The IOC Olympic Charter. How Did China Qualify?

The International Olympic Committee - IOC
is clear in its published ‘Olympic Charter In force As From 7 July 2007’. In
this document it outlines its grand, and specific standards of behaviour
expected of a nation which wishes to host the Olympic Games.

By default, any reasonable person reading the Charter would expect nations
putting themselves forward to host the Games to be democratic, wealthy, and
familiar with a basic understanding and support of ‘basic freedoms: of movement,
of expression, of thought, of choice, and of action'.

However, in fairness the concept of democracy in western nations has become
more of a slippery concept in recent years and western democracy is regressing
to becoming more of an illusion than reality in some industrial countries.

Nonetheless, the Peoples Republic of China – (PRC), was elected by the IOC to
host the 2008 Games evidently living up to the highest standards of
humanitarianism, environmental excellence, and superlative human rights and
freedoms, even though it is a communist state.

Communist governments are autocratic, the philosophical system to ensure
success of a communist society depends upon the continued oppression of the
people by the State, indeed, unflinching obedience of every person to do as she
or he is told, without question.

One might say the 2008 complex in Beijing is built on a history of social and
cultural system of terror, starvation, the mass relocations of peoples,
violation of individual human rights, and the invasion of the passive country of
Tibet, and for commercial purposes exercising their control of resources as well
as the military junta in Burma (Myanmar).

This is not a criticism of the PRC but a simple sharing of information for
education purposes. One might be confused and wish to learn about
China's credentials to comply with the IOC' guidelines to host an Olympic event.

The IOC seemed to ignor a social reality for political expediance when China
was declared a venue for the games. Although, it must be said that the labour
force that is being used to create the 2008 spectacle is plentiful and it is
inexpensive.

One might call the workforce ‘slave labour, both very poorly paid and without
consideration for ‘workers rights’. The very conditions which attract foreign
business people who import their locally manufactured goods into Europe, North
America, and elsewhere. A “Made in China” label is, although a generic slave
labour indicator creates healthy profits to the foreign owners elswhere in the
world. Perhaps the IOC bought themselves a ‘cheap’ Olympic venue.

Historically Chinese working people are the instruments of the state:

“Millions of people in China reportedly had
their human rights annulled during the Cultural Revolution. Millions of others
were also forcibly displaced. During the Cultural Revolution, young people from
the cities were forcibly moved to the countryside, where they were forced to
abandon all forms of standard education”
cf:
Wikepedia, Human Rights Violations, in Cultural
Revolution

The mission of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to promote
Olympism throughout the world and to lead the Olympic Movement. The IOC’s role
is:

1. to encourage and support the promotion of ethics in sport as well as
education of youth through sport and to dedicate its efforts to ensuring that,
in sport, the spirit of fair play prevails and violence is banned;

The Chinese concept of ‘fair play’ extends to violating the sovereignty of
the neighbouring country, Tibet and over the years destroying its cultural and religious
artifacts, beating, arresting, confining, and killing any resident who would
oppose the invading force by democratically demonstrating in opposition to this
Chinese military invasion.

This violation of peaceful co-existence somehow fails to meet the criteria of
the Olympic Charter :

4. to cooperate with the competent public or private organizations and
authorities in the endeavor to place sport at the service of humanity and
thereby to promote peace;

The IOC evidently regards the People’s Republic of China (PRC), as a country
at the service of humanity and promoting peace. Putting aside Tibet, and its own
ruthless programmes of humanitarian violations, consider the trading and
military influence it has in on the people of Burma people who are suppressed by
their military junta.

At an international human rights conference on Burma (Myanmar) in Jakarta,
Indonesia a Buddhist monk involved in the September protests in
Burma has called on the world community to stop supporting, recognizing and
selling arms to the military-run Burmese government. Although not stated it is
China which supports the Burmese military authority, and it is probably the
support of China that continues to make the suppression of the Burmese people so
odious and long lasting.

Having touched briefly on the interventions over the years of China in Burma
the IOC maintains that equality between men and women is of importance according
to the IOC Charter: It says about the Olympic Games they should be hosted:

7. to encourage and support the promotion of women in sport at all levels
and in all structures with a view to implementing the principle of equality of
men and women;

However, kidnapping and selling women to be married to wealthy men is not
uncommon in China as a result of the Communist Partys’ One Child policy.

Health and the environment. The PRC is one of the world’s most inefficient
nations in terms of industrial pollution as evidenced on television screens as
we observe ordinary people moving about the large cities with face masks equally
hoping to be protected from industrial poisoning. The IOC is confident that the
PRC is in a position:

9. to encourage and support measures protecting the health of
athletes;

and

13. to encourage and support a responsible concern for environmental
issues, to promote sustainable development in sport and to require that the
Olympic Games are held accordingly;

Industrial pollution in China has long been a health hazard to ordinary
citizens wherever there is industry in the country, and still the IOC thought it
expedient to pretend that toxic pollutants were not a health hazard and selected
China to host the Beijing Games in 2008.

Already the 2008 games will be an event for the record books. A record in
which the ‘Mission of the Olympic Charter’  appears to have been, if not
violated, then grubbily tarnished.

First, by the governing body of the Olympic Committee itself, and then by
the process that made the selection for the 2008 Olympic Games, the repressive
People’s Republic of China.