The International Olyimpic Committee and China are partners in suppressing the rights of participants and attendees at the Olympics.   This Olympics is shaping up to a well deserved debacle.

 

From environmentally dangerous filthy air in Beijing making it difficult to breathe, to censoring the Internet, these Olympics will highlight the raw, hypocritical, sycophantic politics of the IOC and a human rights challenged host country (resembling the criminal Bush administration).

 

Reuters reports: "Some International Olympic Committee officials cut a deal to let China block sensitive websites despite promises of unrestricted access, a senior IOC official admitted on Wednesday.

"Persistent pollution fears and China's concerns about security in Tibet also remained problems for organizers nine days before the Games begin.

China had committed to providing media with the same freedom to report on the Games as they enjoyed at previous Olympics, but journalists have this week complained of finding access to sites deemed sensitive to its communist leadership blocked.

" 'I regret that it now appears BOCOG has announced that there will be limitations on website access during Games time,' IOC press chief Kevan Gosper said, referring to Beijing's Olympic organizers.

" 'I also now understand that some IOC officials negotiated with the Chinese that some sensitive sites would be blocked on the basis they were not considered Games related,' he said.

"Attempts at the main press centre to access the website of Amnesty International, which released a report on Monday slamming China for failing to honor its Olympic human rights pledges, continued to prove fruitless by mid-week.

Bush should enjoy his appearance at the opening of the games with his like minded, authoritarian, anti-human rights hosts.  Birds of a feather