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Freedom of speech is an interesting little notion we have here in the Western world. Basically, you have the right to express your beliefs, regardless of how bizarre they are.But China don't roll like that, son. And now they're starting to impose their will on other countries.
It's just been revealed that British Olympic officials are going to force their athletes to sign a contract in which they agree not to speak out about China's less-than-awesome human rights record – otherwise the athletes face being banned from travelling to Beijing.
The controversial clause has been inserted into athletes' contracts and forbids them from making any political comment about countries staging the Olympic Games - you know, just in case some athlete is really mad about the over-hunting of raccoons in Vancouver. The clause is contained in a 32-page document that will be presented to all those who reach the qualifying standard and are chosen for the team.
From the moment they sign up, the athletes – likely to include the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips – will effectively be gagged from commenting on China's politics, human rights abuses or occupation of Tibet.
Interestingly, the UK isn't even the first country to sign up for this bizarre plan. New Zealand and Belgium have also banned their athletes from giving political opinions while competing at the Games.
So let's see, with only six months to go until the Olympics, we have the Chinese shooting missiles into the sky to stop rain, toilets popping up from out of the ground, forced cheering, and now this.
If I didn't know any better, I'd say this Olympics has an awful lot in common with the 1936 Nazi Olympics. Just with a lot less missile launching.
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