Amnesty International Reports Mixed Results from Olympic Campaign

(ATR) Amnesty International says it’s getting mixed results from efforts to meet with athletes heading to the Beijing Olympics to press human rights issues. The group is dealing with rejections from some major national Olympic committees and concerns from the IOC.

The U.S. and Canada are among the NOCs that say they can’t get involved with the Amnesty International campaign. Amnesty International says at least two people have recently been detained without trial in part for criticizing the Games. (Getty Images)

"We are a sport organization. It would be very difficult for us to be otherwise. And in that sense, what issue would we choose to support? If we don't support them all, where do you draw the line? And if we did support them all, we could never deliver on our primary mandate and that is to be a sport organization that prepares our athletes well to be some of the world's finest citizens," Canadian Olympic Committee CEO Chris Rudge tells Around the Rings.

London-based Amnesty International alleges that China pledged to enhance human rights in the run up to the Games, but has failed to deliver. AI first detailed their concerns in a 2007 report that condemned China’s use of the death penalty and re-education through labor programs.

Now AI is targeting the International Olympic Committee and some 50 national Olympic committees with an information campaign and a request to convey human rights concerns to Beijing.

The IOC confirms having met with AI on several occasions over the last couple of years.

"Where matters brought to our attention are clearly related specifically to the Olympic Games, yes we have raised them with BOCOG without hesitation," IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies tells ATR.

She hints at sympathy for AI in Lausanne, but says the IOC cannot do what is demanded by the NGO.

"We have always underlined that whilst we respect the end goal they try to achieve, their expectations are at times misplaced in terms of believing the IOC is in a position of influence on matters of national law or sovereignty," she says.

Rule 51.3-- the part of the Olympic Charter that bans political speech in venues-- ensures that the Games remain a sporting festival dedicated to unity and universality, she says, whereas injecting politics will risk erecting barriers, not removing them.

"Sport and politics don't mix, which is why major sports events-- the Olympic Games are not unique in this respect-- work to separate them."

As a second component of the AI campaign, about 50 national AI chapters contacted their NOC asking to hold a seminar or distribute information to leadership or athletes.

"Out of 50, the majority aren't particularly open," says Robert Godden, AI project manager for the Beijing Olympic campaign.

He reports the best reception comes from western and eastern Europe, adding that the ongoing campaign is making new contact with NOCs that were earlier unwilling to meet with AI.

Amnesty International isalso lsome obbyingindividual members of the Olympic Family to speak out about human rights.

"Although I think it's a minority, there are those who are sympathetic with what we're saying and have done that," says Godden.

Godden says the human rights statement that came out of the Association of National Olympic Committees meeting held in Beijing in April is evidence that some members of the Olympic Movement are acting on human rights concerns. "We, like most other Olympic committees often find ourselves in a position where somebody has a very strong position and would like us to act on their position for them," says Canadian Olympic Committee CEO Chris Rudge. (COC)Godden says AI had nothing to do with the statement which came as a surprise when it was released.

Canada's Rudge says the most appropriate role for the Olympic Movement is different from what AI would like to see.

"The gathering of athletes from around the world -- 205 countries in the world in the Olympic Village -- represents a metaphor for what a better world would look like and it’s a celebration of diversity of every kind, "says Rudge.

"We think there's no other movement in the world that does that as well as the Olympic movement," he continues.

"We do monitor what they're doing [AI], I read their website regularly, and we care very much about the things they care about, but we act on them in our way," he concludes.

In Canada, AI asked only to meet with COC leadership; Rudge confirms that he met with one Toronto-based human rights activist who represents a number of organizations including AI. But no further meeting will take place, he says.

In some countries, AI has asked to meet with athletes themselves.

Amnesty International USA will not have a formal opportunity to meet Beijing-bound athletes, says USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel.

"We've had an in-person meeting and a conference call, all have been productive. We've agreed to keep the discussions within the parties involved. They've been productive and respectful," Seibel explains to ATR. Amnesty International in Germany demanded China give "gold for human rights" during an Olympics-themed December 2007 demonstration. (Getty images)

The Australian Olympic Committee also declined to introduce the AI campaign to athletes. In that country, AI then went to the national governing bodies. A spokeswoman for AI Australia said that some teams are open to the prospect of joining an AI seminar or receiving literature.

In New Zealand, some athletes received an AI information pack including an exhortation to speak out, write letters or wear badges. The NZOC knew of the campaign, but did not supply athlete contact information, according to New Zealand media reports.

AI London’s Godden says the campaign aims only to inform athletes, not pressure them. But with the public generally very interested in what Olympians have to say, AI is keen to have them aboard.

"They would be very good spokespeople for our campaign."

Written by Maggie Lee

For general comments or questions, click here

Click here to see the latest Around the Rings Olympic Bid Power Index -- the only authoritative ranking of the 2016 bid cities.