Gold medalist denied Visa by Chinese officials because of his Darfur Activism.

[mastag]

Olympic gold medalist and outspoken Darfur activist Joey Cheek has had his visa revoked by the Chinese embassy, hours before the speedskating champion was set to fly to China. And he wasn't even planning on wearing a mask when he got there.

Chinese officials don't need a reason to revoke anyone's visa but, in their eyes, they had plenty of reasons to snatch Cheek's. He is the founder of Team Darfur, a group of 70 athletes whose goal it is to raise global awareness of the human-rights violations taking part in the Darfur region of Sudan. China's military, economic and diplomatic ties to Sudan have been well-publicized in the lead-up to the Games.

Said Cheek of his ban in a prepared statement:

"I am saddened not to be able to attend the Games. The Olympic Games represent something powerful: that people can come together from around the world and do things that no one thought were possible. However, the denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur."

Cheek was going to China to support the athletes on Team Darfur -- including soccer player Abby Wambach -- and to promote the cause, one that he has championed for years. After winning gold in the Torino Games, Cheek announced he was donating his $25,000 USOC bonus to Darfur and implored his sponsors to do the same. It seems that Joey Cheek is truly one of the good guys.

And now he's out of China before he even got there. With the Games getting closer (just two days away now), the world seemed ready to forget about all the Chinese issues in order to focus on the Games themselves. Unfortunately, China's actions make that impossible. In a time when we should be wondering who will light the Olympic cauldron, whether Michael Phelps can break an all-time record and how Liu Xiang will react to the pressure of 1.3 billion of his countrymen hanging on his every step, we're instead left to discuss the Chinese government's reluctance to allow any dissension in their country, despite repeated promises that they'd clean up their act when the Olympics came to town.

http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/beijing/blog/fourth_place_medal/post/Chi?urn=oly,98718

Well thats just....sucks...

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

lolchina

 

[DEATH eVADER]

So somehow the Human Rights violations in Darfur somehow reflect on China? Is China going to admit to something?

China has its own Human Rights problems, but I would of thought having Darfur activists at the games would of taken the limelight of the China incident


In other news, two Brits were arrested for hanging a Free Tibet sign on a pole. Quite rightly too!

 

[<RJMC>]

china gets oil or more things from darfur so they do the favour of not saying practically anything and ignoring the whole issue there

 

[VirusType2]

China should not have been allowed to host the Olympics then.

 

[Escaep]

China should not have been allowed to host the Olympics then.

Agreed. I have no effin clue why they chose China.

 

[nurizeko]

If he was any kind of man he would have bycotted the olympics.

All these self important athletes who only care about getting their medals have no right to cry about China's crimes and abuses when it only effects them.

I'm with you two guys, China shouldn't have so much as got a look in for hosting the olympics. The olympic hosting has always been political BS but to allow China to host it is disgusting and reflects more on the west's total lack of balls and moral principles then China's blatant political propagandizing olympic BS.

 

[[Matt]]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6323017.stm

the reason china and sudan have such close political and economic ties...

 

[mastag]

But don't you think that China would be more discreet about their...I don't know...Tyranny?

 

[unozero]

lol screw Tibet.

theocracy lol

 

[Acepilotf14]

If this were Civ4 I'd declare war.

 

[VirusType2]

If he was any kind of man he would have bycotted the olympics.

All these self important athletes who only care about getting their medals have no right to cry about China's crimes and abuses when it only effects them.

I don't know about this part - he donated all of his winnings to help Darfur.

 

[Gray Fox]

This is horrible and go's against the spirit of the Olympics. I hope it has a massive fallout.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

If this were Civ4 I'd declare war.

War! WAR! I would of launched nukes by now and embargoed their spice trade

 

[mocho loco]

LOl oh China china china

 

[Acepilotf14]

What happened, china, you used to be so cool.

 

[Escaep]

What happened, china, you used to be so cool.

communism.

 

[nurizeko]

What happened, china, you used to be so cool.

We still cwool, you pay later, later!.

 

[Krynn72]

If he was any kind of man he would have bycotted the olympics.

All these self important athletes who only care about getting their medals have no right to cry about China's crimes and abuses when it only effects them.

Yes, because boycotting and saying "Save Dafur" is way more effective than winning and saying "Save Dafur" while in the spotlight and then donating all your winnings to the cause.

 

[Sulkdodds]

After being awarded custody of the Olympics, you'd expect the People's Republic to be a little graceful in its handling of them.

But forcefully moving residents out of the way of planned Games facilities?
Having pollution levels that are so high as to be actually dangerous to athletes?
And now denying athletes entry for political reasons?

One can't help but feel that China is really pushing it.

 

[nurizeko]

After being awarded custody of the Olympics, you'd expect the People's Republic to be a little graceful in its handling of them.

But forcefully moving residents out of the way of planned Games facilities?
Having pollution levels that are so high as to be actually dangerous to athletes?
And now denying athletes entry for political reasons?

One can't help but feel that China is really pushing it.

The worst part is the Chinese know it, the western diplomats and athletes know it, and everyone smiles with feigned ignorance.

TBH these olympics shine a dark light on the west and its hypocracy as much as China's insult to humanity it calls a government.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

If this were Civ4 I'd declare war.

I wouldn't advise that. China has a thousand archers. And they're all standing on fortified hills. Your tanks won't stand a chance.

 

[Escaep]

Wow i watched the ceremony last night and it was amazing to see so many countries you never hear about still being at the Olympics competing against other major countries even though they only have 1-5 athletes.