Beijing Olympics 2008: Winning Press Freedom - World Press ...

Beijing Olympics 2008: Winning Press Freedom
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The Games mean that 25 000 accredited journalists will be in Beijing. They would not be
there and would not be able to report the same way, were it not for the Olympics. In
addition, there will be 10,000 athletes and support staff, in mutual and hopefully open
dialogue, in addition to spectators and tourists who will be able to report and document
the situations they experience.
Even the disputed torch relay has represented a tremendous world wide exposure. In no
way would the Tibet situation receive such attention without the Olympics in Beijing.
The Olympic Games can - and should - become an outstanding opportunity to focus
attention on the challenges of China. The fact that China so very much wants to arrange
the “perfect games” is an advantage for human rights. It enhances the possibilities of
change, or at least of influence over the process of change. The possibility of sanctions, in
our opinion, is in all probability more important than an actual boycott.
The IOC shares the ambition of making sure the Games leave a legacy, since otherwise its
very brand would be at stake. But it may also be wise to consider a word of warning from
China. Kristoffer Renneberq, a longtime correspondent in China for one of our major
newspapers, Aftenposten, has reported, “The pressure from Western countries toward
China last month [during the Tibet crisis] has brought fuel to the fire for Chinese
nationalism. To a large extent, this nationalism is built from below. It is ordinary Chinese,
not the authorities in Beijing, who now are gathering their wrath and directing it toward
the West.”
If the Chinese feel that the West again is stomping on their pride, their Games - a feeling
underscored by the skewed reporting in China - what long-term effect will that have on
the action of the Government and the development of human rights in the country?
Very early, NIF saw the challenges of participating in the Olympic Games and started an
internal exhaustive process on how to approach the matter. Our president, Tove Paule, is
no chicken. She is succinct, clear and outspoken. She utilizes her possibilities and does
speak out. We have met everyone that wants to speak with us - or to us. We have had,
in our opinion, an extensive cooperation with Amnesty International with the aim of
educating us, novices in the field of human rights. We have sought knowledge and
expertise from institutions of higher learning and research institutions.
We have joined the Ethical Trading Initiative and have adopted ethical guidelines that are
clearly communicated to our partners and suppliers. With major labor organizations in
Norway, we have facilitated a meeting with the IOC regarding the production of Olympic
promotional goods.
Norwegian athletes have been schooled and continuously updated on the situation in
China. For more than two years, the squad coaches, officials and probable athletes, have
been given written material, and have attended our own seminars with researchers,
journalists and other experts on China, offering knowledge, advice and media training.