Join the ARTICLE 19 campaign against the gagging of Olympic athletes.

Athletes may be prevented from speaking out about human rights abuses at this summer’s Beijing Olympics. ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression has launched an international campaign calling for the free speech of Olympic athletes to be upheld.

Some National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are attempting to limit the freedom

of expression of their athletes due to compete in the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Their justification for doing so: Article 51(3) of the International Olympic Charter, which states: “No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas”.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has failed so far to clearly state that human rights falls outside the scope of article 51(3). The IOC’s silence on the matter amounts to censoring the athletes. Speaking out on human rights abuses become too big a risk for athletes that have trained for years to prepare for the Olympics.

ARTICLE 19, Global Campaign for Free Expression believes that preventing athletes from talking about human rights abuses violates their right to freedom of expression and the fundamental principles at the heart of the Olympic Charter. It contradicts the spirit of the Olympic Games which aim at promoting “a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity” It amounts to condoning human rights abuses committed by too many countries around the world.

ARTICLE 19 has therefore launched an international campaign to:

• Put pressure on National Olympic Committees to respect and protect the right of their athletes to speak out on human rights abuses,
  
• Put pressure on the International Olympic Committee and NOCs to issue a clear statement confirming that speaking on human rights abuses is permissible under the Olympic Charter;
  
• Ensure that the IOC upholds the athletes’ right to freedom of expression at the Beijing Olympics this summer

Action: End the Gagging of Journalists
ARTICLE 19 is calling on activists across the globe to join its campaign to put an end to the gagging of Olympic athletes.
1. Write to your NOC, using our model NOC letter: It must respect the right of national athletes to speak out on human rights and issue a clear statement about it.
2. Advocate with your local media to report on the gagging of the athletes and the campaign. 

ARTICLE 19 is also calling on freedom of expression and human rights organisations to sign the petition to be submitted to the International Olympic Committee. Petition to be made available shortly.