Latest update: 04/04/2008 

French athletes rally for 'a better world'
To express their support for Olympic values they say are tarnished by Beijing's crackdown on Tibet, French athletes competing in the Olympics this summer plan to wear a badge that reads 'For a better world."

French Olympians on Friday said their desire to put "Olympic values" back at the heart of the Olympics will be their objective when they wear a new badge to promote respect among nations at the Games.
  
Backed by the French National Olympic Commitee (CNOSF), the badge - on which is written "Pour un monde meilleur" (For a better world) - was unveiled by double Olympic judo champion David Douillet.
  
French athletes will initially wear the badge, on which the Olympic rings also appear, Monday when the Olympic torch makes its way through the streets of Paris.
  
They also hope to wear it during the August 8-24 competition, although that could be subject to International Olympic Committee (IOC) approval.
  
"With this badge we want to put Olympic values back to the heart of the Olympic Games," said pole vaulter Romain Mesnil, one of the founders of an athletes group whose aim is to promote human rights.
  
"The Olympic rings should be given back their true meaning."
  
The CNOSF athletes' commission is presided by now-retired Olympic and four-time world champion Douillet.
  
He said the CNOSF had agreed that athletes could wear the badge on Monday, but he added that talks are ongoing with IOC to allow French athletes to wear the badge in Beijing.
  
Douillet said the athletes' gesture on Monday would be the only occasion on which they would demonstrate ahead of the Games.
  
"Once they've done it, they'll be asking you (media) to leave them in peace until they get to Beijing," said Douillet.
  
France's Olympic athletes appear to want their voices to be heard.
  
In a report Friday in Sport magazine, 43 percent of 126 athletes polled said they supported a recently mooted boycott of the opening ceremony by the country's president Nicolas Sarkozy.
  
Former hurdles runner Stephane Diagana said Friday it was time to use the means within their power to promote the Olympic ideal.
  
"We're taking back the rings," said the former 400m hurdles world champion.
  
He said the use of the Olympic rings, which is normally subject to IOC approval, on the badge would likely escape the scrutiny of the IOC's legal team.
  
"On the badge the rings are stuck on to the word 'France' - under which is written the slogan "For a better world" - which means that only the CNOSF's agreement is required."
  
CNOSF president Henri Serandour is currently in Beijing for National Olympic Commitees (NOCs) meeting, and is said to be negotiating for the badge to be accepted by the IOC and its chief Jacques Rogge.
  
The Olympic charter normally forbids the wearing or use of political or religious garments on Olympic sites.
 

Comments (1)

questions on Tibet riot

Please tell me how the Chinese government has so badly abused the “Tibetan” human rights that make it a BLOOD SUCKING MONSTER and warrant such fierce treatment in the recent Beijing Olympics Rally?

Has the Chinese government carried out ethnic cleansing of the minority “Tibetan” like the former Yugoslavia in China?

Has the Chinese government sent army to Tibet like the Bush government, France, UK and the rest EU to Iraq, and threaten to raise War in Iran because of the so-called Weapon of Mass destruction?? By the way, have they found any yet???

The Chinese government sent army because there were riots, buildings were attacked and people were torched. They may be “Han” Chinese but they are human too, where are their human rights??? The Chinese government did not sent army there because they want OIL in Tibet!!

Have the “Han Chinese” and its government discriminate the Tibetan like some Caucasian white American discriminate the Black-African Americans, Asians, and native South Americans???

Has the Chinese government adopted a Class system in the society to openly discriminate the Tibetan like the British discriminate migrants and lower class people and the Indian Caste System to discriminate the born unfortunate lower classes???

The Chinese government has built roads, highways, railways and airport in Tibet just like in any major cities in the mainland “Han” China. So where is the discrimination?

I read criticism said the Chinese government did all these to ensure the “Han” Chinese government can send big army to Tibet. Mind you the red army has proven the “Han” Chinese government could do so without the infrastructure more than 50 years ago...why bother now since weapon of mass destruction are invented???

Allowing Tibet to become an independent country is impossible.

Can any country or the United Nation force the current USA government, France and the Canadian government back off from the Northern American and returning this beautiful land to the peace loving Red Indians – THE REAL NATIVE Americans? The answer is NO, it is impossible!!

Can any country or the UN force the Kevin Rudd government to leave Australia & return it to the Aboriginal – THE REAL peace loving down-to-earth NATIVE Australian? The answer is yet again NO, it is impossible!!

So why should the Chinese Government back off Tibet & allow it to become an independent country???? Because we are Chinese, and because we are weak and stupid??? I don’t think so. The Chinese Dark Age has gone. Thanks to the Western education, we learned how to stand up to ourselves and protect our interest and values.

When I was a young student in China, I respected the Tibetan’s loyalty and their utmost faith to their religion, their strength against the harsh living environment and their friendliness and peaceful nature. I learned these from Chinese school books and Chinese TV shows while I was in China!!!

I repeat again I RESPECTED the Tibetan and the so-called “human right” organizations. And I slowly understand why there are terrorist – they are pushed to do so… must have suffered enough of the unjust and abuse of power from the “GOOD & SAINT” western free politicians, the reckless medias that want to sell their stories and cause a scene. .

If those so-called “human right” organizations are really care about human rights, why don’t they put their focus back on the world pollutions, weapon of mass destructions, the big corporation wipe off the world’s wealth, AIDS, gay and lesbians problems and the ever worsening youth violence problems.

Why can’t we Chinese people and the Beijing Olympics have a fair go? Chinese are not violent and lazy people. We are hardworking, sometimes can be overly quiet, insecure & money-minded people. But these do not make us blood sucking monsters. We don’t deserve such rude treatment over the Beijing Olympics torch rally. Our athletes are world-class. And the Chinese Government takes every step to make sure they compete in clean and fair manner during the Olympic Games.

We build China-towns in many countries and promote commerce and friendship. We rarely invade other countries policies. We seldom end up in the social securities line and keep asking for more.

The current Chinese government certainly has a lot more to do in regarding the freedom of speech IN CHINA among all Chinese and improving the pollution problems in China, thus the world as well. These ARE the REAL issues that the “so-called” human right organizations, the UN & EU should address to Not the Riots in Tibet.

I am proud to be a Chinese, I am proud of the Chinese culture and value – they teach me to be a good, honest and respectful person. China is fine. It is improving and we Chinese can see it and we are patient & wise enough to see the fruit maturing slowly. I love my country and WILL always stand up for it.

I support the Beijing Olympics and there are 2 billions of Chinese supporting it as well. For those countries that decided to boycott the Olympics opening, and let your elite athletes out alone cold in a foreign country without support, it is your decisions It is certainly is a shame but we Chinese will not intervene. We will move on. The “face” thing really does not matter any more. I am utterly disappointed but THANK YOU this event has finally opened my naïve mind and I see the world from a different perspective. Let us all stand up tall & firm together and build a better and stronger China.

Lastly as a Christian, I will pray for my country, mankind and the Beijing Olympics and hope for the best. PEACE ON EARTH ---may be one day.

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