Olympic Torch Relays to Be Canceled?

Associated Press

April 8, 2008

The International Olympic Committee will review plans for the remainder of the Beijing Olympic torch relay and consider scrapping the international portion of the event for future games.

IOC officials expressed concern Tuesday about the disruption caused by anti-Chinese protests during the torch relay in Paris and London.

They braced for more potential trouble during the leg through San Francisco on Wednesday after activists scaled the San Francisco Bay Bridge as part of a high-altitude protest.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said the committee's executive board would discuss the future of the Beijing relay on Friday.

He did not rule out the option of suspending or scrapping part of the relay, although most Olympic officials are opposed to such a move and Beijing organizers have vowed to go to the end.

"I'm not saying whether it is certain or not. There will be a discussion of the executive board on the torch relay but I attach on that absolutely no speculation whatsoever."

The torch relay has been disrupted in Greece, Istanbul, London, and Paris by protesters opposed to China's policies in Tibet and overall human rights record.

(See a photo of Tibetans protesting in India.)

The torch's 85,000-mile (136,794-kilometer) journey from Ancient Olympia in Greece across six continents will end in mainland China on May 4. The Beijing Olympics start August 8.

Tarnished Image

Patrick Hickey, an Irish IOC member who heads the European Olympic Committees, said there was widespread consensus that future torch relays should be limited to the national territory of the host country.

Gilbert Felli, the IOC's executive director for the Olympic Games, confirmed the committee would reassess its policy for future relays.

The chaos along the relay route has tarnished China's image and spoiled an event which was supposed to symbolize Olympic values of unity and harmony.

"I'm definitely concerned about what has happened in London and in Paris," Rogge said. "I'm deeply saddened by the fact that such an important symbol has been attacked. We recognize the right for people to protest and express their views but it should be nonviolent. We are very sad for all the athletes and the people who expected so much from the run and have been spoiled of their joy."

On Monday Olympic organizers canceled the final leg of the Paris run after demonstrators scaled the Eiffel Tower, grabbed for the flame, and forced security officials to repeatedly snuff out the torch and transport it by bus past demonstrators. China condemned the protests as "despicable" but vowed to continue the relay to the end.

In San Francisco, three activists climbed the Golden Gate Bridge on Monday and tied the Tibetan flag and two banners to its cables. A series of demonstrations were planned before the relay Wednesday.

"Political Show"

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu criticized protesters who use the torch relay to "put on a political show."

"We would also like to warn those organizations and forces who attempt to disrupt the Olympic Games, they try to tarnish the image of China and pressurize China," he said. "Their attempts are not going to prevail."

IOC vice presidents Gunilla Lindberg and Thomas Bach suggested the option of halting the relay would need to be discussed particularly if there are major disturbances in San Francisco.

"Now it's come to the stage that violent people are coming in," Lindberg said. "It has nothing to do with nice demonstrations. We have to consider it."

But the widespread view among Olympic officials and IOC members was the relay should not be stopped.

"I think that would be tantamount to giving in to terrorism," Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said.