IOC may scrap international torch relay

IOC may scrap international torch relay

au.news.yahoo.com

IOC President Jacques Rogge says the Olympic body will consider whether to scrap the international leg of the protest-plagued Beijing torch relay.

Rogge says the matter will be considered by the International Olympic Committee's executive board on Friday, as a result of the anti-China protests targeting the relay.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Finaly looks like people power is paying off. But still it wasn't the chinese that will call it off, maybe the IOC is know looking a bit red faced at giving them the games. What would happen if they called them off and had to change them venue due to worldwide pressure?

au.news.yahoo.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

It didn't take china long to deny this.

www.cnn.com...

China: No halt to torch relay

BEIJING, China (CNN) -- Beijing insisted Tuesday that the international Olympic torch relay would go on, despite calls to cut it short amid chaotic anti-China protests.

reply to post by Karlhungis

Yes, why would the IOC or China take away the opportunities for the world to feel the Olympic spirits? These extreme protests are only occuring in the Western World.


Olympia- Hot spot
Athens- Hot spot
Beijing - Olympic spirit in town
Almaty - Olympic spirit in town
Istanbul - Olympic spirit in town
St.Petersburg - Olympic spirit in town
London - Hot spot
Paris - Hot spot
San Francisco - Hot spot.
Buenos Aires -
Dar Es Salaam -
Muscat -
Islamabad -
New Delhi - Hot spot
Bangkok -
Kuala Lumpur -
Jakarta -
Canberra - Hot spot
Nagano -
Seoul -
Pyongyang -
Ho Chi Minh City -

Then the torch will start in Chinese ground. Bet for a few months the Western reporters will have sadly nothing to tell you.

Originally posted by IchiNiSan
reply to post by Karlhungis

 

why would the IOC or China take away the opportunities for the world to feel the Olympic spirits?

Because China is appropriating the 'Olympic Spirit' as a PR tool. Why do they need to visit all of these countries? Why can't they just take the flame from Olympia to Beijing?

reply to post by Smokersroom


Because last I checked it always has traveled around the World as a sign of Unity?

Why should the protesters ruin an event that has been on going for hundreds of years? When anyone with an IQ of 10 knows it won't change a damn thing in China if we boycott it.

Originally posted by cnm1976


Finaly looks like people power is paying off.

Is it "people power?" A few screaming zealots assaulting the torch-bearers hardly represent the will of "the people."

While I understand their outrage and sentiment, their actions are misplaced. Instead of directing it at China, they are directing it at people and objects who have no bearing what-so-ever on Chinese policies.

reply to post by Odium


Ehm ...hundreds of years ?! The torch relay has been "invented" by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis in 1936....it's not even a renewed ancient tradition, it's 70 years old.

reply to post by Odium


When did the IOC decide to ruin the torch relay by laying out unanswered human rights requests that were supposed to be met with solutions by the Chinese Government? Why didn't they wait until after China decided to actually clean up its act a little. That's the real question here, but I'm sure I know the answer I'll get.

---

If this can be stopped, the people's voice will have been loud enough to stop something on a global scale, a good sign of the power we have left and imagine if we all used that collective power to take on some tougher issues eventually.

A good sign that people are waking up.

Of course I expect China to deny it, doesn't really surprise me in the least. It would be a big cut to them to have one of their largest PR stunts taken away.

Originally posted by SaviorComplex: Is it "people power?" A few screaming zealots assaulting the torch-bearers hardly represent the will of "the people."

More than a few, and if I find it very dangerous to label protesters as screaming zealots, because if you disagree with them, its much more effective to go out there and hold a pro-China counter-protest. Playing with words to paint an uglier picture of someone exercising their right to free speech is not cool.

[edit on 4/8/08 by niteboy82]

reply to post by Phil J. Fry


Hundreds of years was in reguards to the Olympics themselves, not the torch part of it.

reply to post by niteboy82


I am sure the IOC though people would be mature enough to act like adults and not attack an uninvolved party during a sporting event over something that is a political problem.

The reason it got stopped was to protect an innocent person. What has this person done? By the way, the guy in London who carried it was a 5 times Gold Medal Winner for the British and it was possibley the only chance he will get to be involved in this Olympics. He stated on record he does not agree with the Chinese Government on its policy but this is again about SPORTS.

Well done for supporting people trying to attack him physically. Kudos to you.

Also to argue people should go out their and protest for things? Are you stupid? Look at the way they acted towards someone with armed guards, they tried to attack him. AS they did in France. People should not go out as Pro-Supporters when those who are Anti-China are resorting to violence.

Furthermore, it's nice to see those in Tibet resorting to:
Looting.
Violence.
Fire bombing non-Tibetens.
Etcetera.

You really want a free Tibet then you target the Government. You don't attack Chinese people for their actions of the Government and you do not attack atheletes.

But if you support protesters attacking people, kudos to you. :-)

Edit:

Here's your Free Tibet Protesters and Pro-China Protesters.

Want to see one of you: Free Tibet Protesters attack a handicapped woman?
www.dailymotion.com...
There you go.

[edit on 8/4/2008 by Odium]

Originally posted by Odium
I am sure the IOC though people would be mature enough to act like adults and not attack an uninvolved party during a sporting event over something that is a political problem.

Who has used this for their political gain? Oh that's right, only the Tibetans.

The Chinese government has hijacked this Olympic event and turned it into their own propaganda machine. Since this fact has not been argued, I assume we can agree this is true.

He stated on record he does not agree with the Chinese Government on its policy but this is again about SPORTS.

It was. That is no longer the case whether we like it or not.

Well done for supporting people trying to attack him physically. Kudos to you.

I have stated quite a few times in another thread which I know for a fact you have read because you were repeating the same exact thing there, that I support any peaceful protest, and I believe that the majority of the protesters were doing so in a peaceful manner.

Also to argue people should go out their and protest for things? Are you stupid? Look at the way they acted towards someone with armed guards, they tried to attack him. AS they did in France. People should not go out as Pro-Supporters when those who are Anti-China are resorting to violence.

*italics mine*

The monks are dangerous, the people are dangerous, the Pro-Supporters are daisy-picking, organic cotton wearing peaceniks.. right. At this point though I am no longer responding to anything you post towards me, as you are beginning to become abusive in your insinuations that I must be stupid. See that as you will, but I am here for discussion, not to begin playing as your punching bag when you run out of valid arguments and resort to pettiness.

reply to post by niteboy82


I'm waiting to see people show how it has been used by China to gain something politically. I've actually only seen harm to their country come from this.

Furthermore the "stupid" remark was in reguards to the protests in France. I display video evidence of your "Pro-Tibet" supporters attacking a cripple. Clearly nobody is safe from them and you support them?

You support a movement which uses violence? How many sources and videos of their violence would you like me to post? 10? Will that do it for you?

Free Tiber: Kick a cripple.

Nice slogan.

Originally posted by niteboy82
More than a few, and if I find it very dangerous to label protesters as screaming zealots, because if you disagree with them, its much more effective to go out there and hold a pro-China counter-protest. Playing with words to paint an uglier picture of someone exercising their right to free speech is not cool.

Wow...just wow...

So, because I disagree with them grabbing the torch, basically assaulting the torch-bearer to do so, because I feel their outrage is misplaced, I'm pro-China? Wow...I guess in your knee-jerk reaction, you must have missed where I also wrote that I understand the sentiment and outrage.

But no, I don't agree with trying to steal the torch and protesting innocent people...so I must be Pro-China.

Very intelligent.

And it's not "freedom of speech" to try to steal someone else's property and assault them to do so.

reply to post by SaviorComplex


Let's put it in context as well.

Assault a cropple Chinese athlete in France. They attacked the poor women, for what?

This is my problem with the: Free Tibet Movement, all violence. You can look at hte protests in China, the houses and people that have been fire bombed after the monks were arrested.

They are as bad as the Chinese.

The "torch tour" is only a recent thing, it is not a long tradition. This Olympics, China decided to increase the number of cities in order to carry out a PR campaign.

And yes, China is using this as a political tool. Why did the Chinese take Gordon Brown, Bush and other world leaders (when they visited) around the Olympic site? Why did China invite the London 2012 team and the BBC to the sites for a few pictures? In order to show off to the world that China is now a superpower and for us to think "hey, how cool!".

Plus, it is nice to see Odium generalising the whole entire Free Tibet Movement because a few of them resorted to violence in China All the Basque supporters are members of ETA than in your eyes? All Irish catholic's card carrying IRA members? Cannot generalise and ignore others tut tut, that's bias

What is really sad is I've lost count how many members have U2U'd and e-mailed me saying "I agree with you infinite, but I'm too scared to post it because of Pro-Chinese posters trashing Olympic threads*"

*That comment is not aimed at Odium or other members, but members will know who I am talking about