4-16-08, 9:22 am

Original source: The Guardian, Australia

For many years, ever since the commencement of the modern Olympics in 1896, the US and European powers have controlled the Olympic Games. They have come to believe that they 'own' them. The figures tell the story.

Since 1896 the summer games have been held on 28 occasions. The Beijing games will be the 29th. They have been held in the US no less than four times and the winter Olympics four times also. Britain has been favored on three occasions and other European countries no less than 17 times. So, a total of 24 of the 29 games held, have taken place in Europe or the United States.

Australia has held the games twice, Tokyo and Seoul once each. In 1980 the Soviet Union, which had emerged as a great power following WW2, held the Games but the western powers, who hated the idea of a communist-led country breaching their monopoly, tried to disrupt them by staging a boycott. Only now, in 2008, has China broken through again but once more a major attempt is being made to disrupt the games although it is clear, even now, that any attempt to stage a boycott will fail.

The games have never been held in any of the Latin American, African, Middle Eastern, or on the Indian sub-continent.

This one-sided situation is likely to change in the 21st century. There are now 205 national Olympic Committees represented on the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The majority of the national committees represent developing countries which are increasingly angry at the 'we own the Olympics' attitude of the European and US governments.

The western media is attempting to sustain the dominance of the imperialist and former colonial owning countries. The reporting of the Australian media, including that of the ABC and SBS, is based on delusions, is biased, dishonest, and is often outright lies. The lies are echoed by leading politicians including by Prime Minister Rudd.

The Guardian has two other stories in this issue to help set the record straight. One is a report on demonstrations against the torch relay in London and the other is about the real situation in Tibet.

None of the following remarks made by many personalities have been reported by the Australian media. The only remarks being quoted are those that can be construed as being anti-China:

Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee:

'We need the unity of the Olympic movement to help us overcome the difficulties. Our major responsibility is to offer good games to the athletes who deserve them. The athletes deserve and the world expects it, and the unity of the Olympic movement will deliver it.'

Mario Vazquez Rana, President of the Association of National Olympic Committees:

'Any politician who is pushing for a boycott is committing a serious error. For me a total boycott, a partial boycott, is totally out of the question.'

The King of Tonga Taufa-ahau Tupou V:

On a visit to China the king said that his country adhered to the one-China policy and supported the measures adopted to handle the incident in Lhasa. 'China's affairs can only be tackled by China and no interference from any foreign country is acceptable', he said.

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahd, President of the Olympic Council of Asia:

'It is important for Asian countries to stand behind China as the success of the Beijing Olympics is the success of Asia. My idea is don't bring politics to sport. I am sure Beijing 2008 will be the best games because Beijing has worked for the games for more than a decade.'

Henri Serandour, President of the French Olympic Committee:

'I think that people should have let this flame through. Everyone has a right to express themselves but to stop it passing shows a lack of respect for the basic freedom of our athletes to carry this flame, which is a message of peace to the whole world.'

Kipchoge Keino, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of Kenya:

'The main goal of the Olympic torch is to unite youths around the world. Win or lose we shake hands and maintain peace and friendship. The Games in Beijing will be important for Kenya in promoting peace in the country and we should ensure we are ready.'

Ichiro Kono, Chairman and CEO of the Tokyo 2016 Olympic Bid Committee:

'First of all, I believe that the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games are going to be very successful, and the Tokyo 2016 Bid Committee wishes all the best to China and Beijing for the Games. We firmly believe that the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games will act as a focal point for bringing peace through sports to many people.

Yalcin Aksoy, official of the Turkish Olympic Committee:

Sports and politics are totally different things, and the true Olympic idea is to bring the youth together from everywhere around the world, and to establish friendship, respect and mutual cooperation. Good Luck Beijing!'

Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada:

'There has been no cabinet discussion of this. No cabinet discussion is planned. I don't anticipate any kind of boycott of the Games themselves. Experience would suggest that such boycotts are generally not effective and really in the end only harm the athletes involved who have trained for so many years to compete in these events.

Alexander Zhukov, Russian Deputy Prime Minister:

'Russia is against a boycott of the Beijing Olympics and considers it unacceptable. We don't welcome attempts at boycotting the Olympics that are a most important world event.'

Gavin Newsom, San Francisco Mayor:

'I am very confident that the Beijing Olympics will be a very successful event that can be examples for the world. San Francisco has always been proud of our strong cultural ties to China and Beijing. The Olympic torch represents the journey for excellence, and we are honored to have the opportunity to host and contribute to the Beijing Olympic Journey of Harmony. Speaking as the mayor of San Francisco, I am a firm believer that the Olympics are to unite the people and the world through sports.'

Steve Redgrave, Britain's five-time Olympic rowing gold medalist:

'People shouldn't use athletes, who have trained hard, to make political points. If the issues are strong enough that the nation and government want to take a stand together against another country, sports people should stand with that, but they should not be misused to make a point. Athletes are trying to come away an Olympic champion. To win a medal at Beijing will make you an Olympic champion and we should encourage athletes to strive for that.'

Niki Bakogiannu, an Olympic silver medallist:

'This is my fifth time to be an Olympic flame torchbearer. I was running in the Atlanta, Sydney, Athens Summer Games and the Turin Winter Games before. Each time it's a different feeling. The more times you participate in the flame relay, the better you love it.'

Kosuke Kitajima, Japan's double Olympic breaststroke champion:

'I never expect[ed] to become a torch bearer for the upcoming Olympics, but it is meaningful to inform the arrival of the Olympic flame to the people of the world and increase the awareness for the Olympic movement. I feel so excited to get involved in the torch relay.'

Vanessa Mae, classical violinist:

'It's a great honor to run in the Olympic torch relay. I'm here for the Olympics.'

Cathy Sing, a London resident:

'Tibet has been part of China for several hundred years. Someone want[s] to disrupt the Games, which is no good.'

From The Guardian, Australia