Should Ireland boycott the 2008 Beijing Olympics?

43% YES 57% NO

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Your Reaction

• Seán Coleman is right to point out many reasons to punish the illegitimate Communist dictatorship ruling China for its appalling human rights record. A more complete list would include: + Stealing Tibet in 1951, and then colonising it, suppressing dissent, and smothering Tibetan culture + Supporting the Myanmar genocidal totalitarian Junta + Supporting the Sudanese genocidal totalitarian dictatorship + Suppression of the Falun Gong and then forcible harvesting of their organs for transplant into wealthy foreign patients for commercial gain. However I agree with Pat Hickey that traditional Olympic boycotts don't work. But there is another way; another more democratic way involving personal empowerment. Let the games go ahead. Let no athletes be denied their chance to prove they're the world's best. Instead, it is the spectators who should boycott the games. No individual who believes that Burma ought to be liberated should attend these games, or they should at least threaten not to. Here is a way that regular folk can effect real change. For, from the Chinese perspective, worse even than a few countries not showing up in Beijing will be TV pictures, beamed across the world, of empty stadiums whilst the contests proceed, and everyone knowing why. And no-one would be fooled by a sea of Oriental rather than Caucasian faces, because everyone would realise they were just Chinese stooges. This would be the ultimate, unthinkable humiliation for the Communist dictatorship in China, where ¿face¿ is such an important part of national culture, history and psyche. And it would be made grimmer by the knowledge that no Government had done it; just ordinary free people with honourable principles. If we can all convince the Chinese leadership that a popular boycott of the Beijing Olympics is really going to happen next year, they will move heaven and earth to prevent it. Personally, I have cancelled my plans to attend.
  Tony Allwright  Ireland
• With repect to the legendary anti-arpartheid activist Donald Woods' who approved of sport boycotts in South Africa, I believe the level of public engagement on this issue at this time is too low for a boycott to be anything other tokenism. Instead efforts should be directed towards making the EC adopt a set of human rights standards applicable to imported goods, similar that which applies to safety standards for food imports into the EU. This would have an effect on alot more countries than China.
  Browser  Ireland
• Perhaps we should attend the games and each of us simultaneously commit to ignoring all the TV advertising that supports it and providing political and financial support to those who suffer because of Chinese governmental policies. Only such an active role would validate Pat Hickey's claim that the Olympics can promote human rights - a claim that otherwise he shows no real evidence to be true.
  Peter Davis  United States
• Yes, of course they should. the Chinese human rights record is appalling, and no sporting records should be built on such oppression. The problem is as follows: is it fair to boycott China, and not Atlanta (of the death penalty)? Many countries have terrible human rights records. Where is the line?
  skillage  United Kingdom
• China's recent brutality against tne Tibetan population is also good reason why Ireland should play its part in the boycott of the Olympic Games in China this year. Not only Ireland but all countries who are serious about human rights should also do so. Only in this way will China come to its senses and realise that the world will no longer support such a regime.
  Michael Logue-Schmid  Switzerland
• Other than affect the athletes involved, it will do little to progress the issues at hand
  Barry Delany  Ireland
• China is a prime example why the Olympics,or any international sporting event,should only be held in a democracy. Earlier this year China's authoritarian regime gave its support to the violence unleashed against pro-democracy supporters in Burma,while also aiding attacks on Darfur's civilians. Tibet is only one of China's current victims. It is now conducting a campaign against internal human rights activists,while continuing to block use of the Internet by its people. Holding the Olympics in Beijing will not alter the nature of China's dictatorship. The 1980 Games did not change the oppressive policies of the Soviet Union. The 1936 Games did not change the savagery of Adolf Hitler. The people of the world's democracies have a moral obligation to defend justice and the rule of law. Boycotting the Beijing Olympics will not alone bring about reform in China; attendance at the event, however, will be promoted by the regime as acquiescence in its brutal mode of behaviour.
  Dan  Ireland
• Keep sports separate from politics
  Kevin Darmody  Ireland
• Our athletes put a huge amount of effort and make massive sacrifices to have the honour of representing their country at the Olympic Games. This should not be taken away from them in order to make a political point. Sport should be above politics.
  Kevin  Ireland
• I personally think that Ireland going to the olympics is a good thing. We may not do a whole lot there but it's always fun to watch what our and other countries players.
  Seán  Ireland