Olympic rethink

According to reports yesterday, Britain's Olympic athletes were to be required to sign a contract undertaking not to comment on politically sensitive issues - like China's human rights record - while in Beijing. A spokesman for the British Olympics Association said that this was no more than the International Olympic Committee charter lays down. But in fact it is more. That charter says only that 'No kind of demonstration, or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas'. Commenting on sensitive issues can be done in other ways than by staging a demonstration on an Olympic site. Fortunately, the BOA have now recognized this and are redrafting the agreement the athletes must sign.