Pound warns Beijing boycott talk could set a 'Canadian precedent' for 2010

James Stevenson, THE CANADIAN PRESS
CALGARY - Canada should not entertain any plans of boycotting the summer Olympics in Beijing if it wants the world to show up in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Games, Dick Pound said Friday.

Pound, Canada's most senior international Olympic official, told the Canadian Olympic Association's board meeting in Calgary that "private sentiments" and personal opposition to China's policies in Tibet and overall human rights record were fine.

But he said such feelings should not be extended to the COC or Olympic team.

"This is not muzzling," said Pound, who only recently stepped down as head of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

"But we will be guests in China, and the world will be visiting us just 18 months later. I wouldn't want any Canadian precedent shoved back in our faces."

Pound told the COC that he believed that there was "public support" for Canadian athletes to compete in Beijing and that boycotts were completely ineffective.

The comments were similar to those made by Prime Minister Stephen Harper earlier this week when he told an Ottawa news conference that he didn't anticipate a full boycott of the Games by Canada or any other country.

Harper is among a growing group of world leaders planning to boycott the opening ceremonies.

On Friday, UN secretary Ban Ki-moon told China's government that he may not attend the August opening ceremony, along with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Friday was the opening day of the COC's semi-annual board meeting, but missed by both president Michael Chambers and chief executive Chris Rudge who were delayed in returning from meetings in Beijing.

Pound also told the COC that "political challenges" similar to this week's massive protests against the Olympic torch in London, Paris and San Francisco would likely continue.

But he said it's important to note that the troubles remain in the political - not sporting - realm.

Sylvie Bernier, chef de mission for Canada's team in Beijing, said all of the recent turmoil surrounding the international Olympic torch relay was "a disappointment."

Still, Bernier said protests and freedom of speech are part of the Olympic movement and didn't expect it to deter Canada's athletes.

"I think that once the Games start, the focus will really go back on the Olympic Games, so I'm not afraid of the rest of the torch relay or what's going to happen during the Games."

Bernier said Canadian are aware of all the politics surrounding the Games, but they are "trained to focus" and will be ready to compete in August.

The COC has set a goal of being among the top 16 nations competing in Beijing. Four years ago in Athens, Canada ranked 19th with 12 medals.

COC board member and former pentathlete Diane Jones Konihowski was a vocal critic of Canada's decision to boycott the 1980 Games in Moscow.

"It was a very difficult time to live through," she said Friday.

"Like so many athletes, that was my third Olympics and that was where I was very realistically able to stand on the podium. I was in the best shape of my life."

Konihowski said the boycott hurt a lot of athletes and set future Canadian Olympic teams backwards.

But she said the Olympics by its very nature will always be politically charged.

"I think the Games can't help but be political because they're the biggest event in the world. And if you want to make a political statement, this is the greatest place to do it."

© The Canadian Press, 2008