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Last update - 11:37 25/03/2008 OPINION / If Olympic games were politically correct, only four nations would take part By Uzi Dann, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Tibet, Beijing, Israel  The heart aches over the Tibetan youth who tried to snatch the Olympic torch in Greece on Monday at a time when his people's rights are bring trampled. He is probably unaware that the idea of the Olympic torch was hatched during the Nazi Olympics of 1936 in Berlin. The first torch bore only three rings, the symbol of the German steel company Krupp that produced the Wehrmacht might which crushed Europe. Had the organizers been more historically conscious, they would have canceled the torch ceremony altogether. Sports and politics, as this example proves, are deeply entangled. It may sound silly to ban the torch ceremony because of its Nazi origins, but less so than banning Richard Wagner's music that was adopted by that regime. Still, such has been the conduct in Israel (and rightfully so). Did the Soviet Union withdraw from Afghanistan because of the U.S.-led boycott of the 1980 Games? Or was the U.S. hurt when Moscow returned the favor four years later? On the matter of China hosting the games, International Olympic Committee president Jacque Rogge said it would open up China to the media. He may be wrong, but it did work in South Korea, which was transformed from a dictatorship into a democracy in the timeframe between 1981, when it won the bid to host the Games, and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. Advertisement Critics rightfully say China discriminates against minorities. But women in Saudi Arabia can't vote and are kept wrapped up in veils. Why has no one raised a cry over whether it should be allowed to participate in the Games? Meanwhile, if it were up to a UN vote, Israel may have been boycotted from the Olympics because of alleged human rights violations in Gaza. So what gives? Unlike Africa, Latin America or the Middle East, the sanctimonious West cannot treat China with a mix of colonial patronage. China has been around for a long time. Confucius predated Plato, Socrates and Hillel the Elder. After massacring Native Americans, and enslaving Africans, the West cannot cry that they should be like us. Alas, if we ban all the countries named by Amnesty International as human rights violators, then eventually we'll have an Olympics with only four participants: Holland, Norway, Iceland and Costa Rica. And in any case, sports without politics are a bore. Israel is right to be willing to play against enemy states - even those that deny its right to exist. Of course, sometimes one cannot overlook a nation's transgressions, such as in the case of the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. But equating China in 2008 to the Nazis is like drawing a parallel between Israel's West Bank policies and the Nazis. One should listen to the Dalai Lama who said one could support freedom in Tibet without calling for a boycott of the Olympics. Otherwise, perhaps it's not too late to move the 2012 Olympics from the U.K. to a less controversial location, say, Costa Rica. Related articles: OPINION / There is nothing wrong with mixing politics and sport Beijing's only Kosher restaurant mulls second branch ahead of Olympics Bookmark to del.icio.us   Best served cold Safed chief rabbi calls on state to exact 'revenge' against Arabs. The Jewish hurdle Obama: I disagree with aide who blamed 'NY, Miami' for failed peace talks.   1.   HOLLAND NORWAY? wait! immigration issues,immigrants& riots,wait! 04:27  |  PETER SM 25/03/08   2.   Relative to 05:57  |  Donald 25/03/08   3.   Best article I`ve seen in Haaretz in weeks-- 06:07  |  Voice of Reason 25/03/08   4.   Of course a parallel involving Israel`s Gaza policies would float 07:26  |  Matt 25/03/08   5.   Olympics Are A Sham 08:43  |  Tex 25/03/08   6.   Nice Article 08:47  |  Andrew Camacho 25/03/08   7.   VERY GOOD JUST A FEW WORDS MISSING 09:15  |  PARIS 25/03/08   8.   Politics and the Olympics are forever joined 10:02  |  Natallie Durson 25/03/08   9.   The original hidden agenda 10:36  |  manny.b 25/03/08   10.   HOLLAND? NORWAY? 11:16  |  COME ON! 25/03/08   11.   Hope you know the differences between Gaza (West Bank, Lebanon, S 11:54  |  Shlomo 25/03/08   12.   What the Olympic Games are 12:16  |  Mark Lincoln 25/03/08   13.   The ignorance of an Israeli education 13:36  |  David Teich 25/03/08   14.   I don`t understand the argument... 13:58  |  Sensible 25/03/08   15.   Olympic games are good... 16:07  |  Yakov 25/03/08   16.   To David Teich 16:38  |  Educator 25/03/08   17.   Saudi Arabia and women 16:38  |  yuyubenson 25/03/08   18.   Sadist Irony 16:45  |  C`est Mois 25/03/08   19.   16: No, my ignorant educator, it doesn`t 13:48  |  David Teich 27/03/08

Today Online Rights group: Deaths in IDF W. Bank raid were apparent executions Responses: 98 Top rabbis: Harvesting organs of the brain dead is `bloodshed` Responses: 34 Ari Shavit: Olmert doesn't belong in the prime minister's office Responses: 7 Shmuel Rosner: Bush is now behaving like a responsible adult Responses: 9 Meron Benvenisti: Israel's environmental plans do not include Palestinian needs Responses: 6 Rosner's Domain Obama rejects advisor's comments on American Jews and peace process Poll: what percentage Jews will vote McCain? Kurtzer: The pro-Israel lobby, not obstacle for peace How many voters will abandon the Democratic Party? (WTR) Slight preference for Clinton among Jewish Democrats More Headlines 13:19 Defense officials: Hezbollah rockets can reach almost all of Israel 10:34 Rights group: Deaths in IDF Bethlehem raid were apparent executions 08:32 Barak confirms transfer of armored vehicles to PA 13:46 Syria urges Arab states to overcome differences at summit 11:51 Police seize 63 kilos of hashish, guns in Givat Shmuel apartment 13:57 MKs okay state-funded center commemorating Gaza settlers 10:53 Israel posts clips on YouTube of J'lem yeshiva terror attack 08:45 Top rabbis: Harvesting organs of the brain dead is `bloodshed` 05:10 State program to tackle problem of polygamy in Bedouin community 06:24 MKs advance bill calling for new Orthodox-secular school system 09:42 Netanyahu calls for treasury to cut taxes and state budget 05:19 Bible club founded by Ben-Gurion gets revived with a Peres twist Previous Editions Select Day 26 mar 25 mar 24 mar 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar

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