The volume of political rhetoric involving the Beijing Olympics is increasing as the games draw nearer. Steven Spielberg recently withdrew from a consultancy role involved in promoting the games citing criticism of China’s role in Darfur. In the UK, Olympic athletes were being asked to sign a contract with the British Olympic Association that included a clause preventing public criticism of China. News of the contract caused a public outcry that is said to have now been ‘dampened down’.

Putting the rights and wrongs of how China is seen throughout the world aside, it is perhaps inevitable that an Olympic host will attract attention in the build up to their games (look out London your time will come!). In 2004 the Greeks were said to be disorganised and several reports suggested the games would be mired by incomplete venues. As it happens, they were regarded as one of the best games ever and the TV coverage didn’t include any shots of contractors running around in hard hats between heats.

The Olympics are of course a big money maker and with a lot at stake they will cause a range of opinions to be voiced; but for an athelete to be there, has required many long hours of dedication and perseverance away from the public eye. Should politics be allowed to take their opportunity to excel away? Any runner who has embarked on a lengthy training program to complete their first marathon should understand this. Training can take over your life; granted you’re (hopefully) doing it voluntarily, but all those cold winter mornings or long rain soaked weekend runs all add up along with juggling family and work commitments. Imagine being publicly criticized about your entry to the Boston Marathon because of a policy the city had recently introduced or hearing that the event was under threat from protesters? Anyone who has run Philadelphia will know how protest actions can impact an event.

To complete any challenging event such as long distance running, requires a tremendous amount of determination and dedication, the extent of which is probably unappreciated by the majority of the population. Having an association with people that take part in these activities, be it through relationship, friendship or shared citizenship, can also be rewarding.

Boycotting the games during the cold war or apartheid era, didn’t bring bring these issues down, political initiatives and the voice of the people ultimately did. Removing the chance for an athlete to fulfill their goal after four or more years of effort did nothing. Like anyone, I’d like to see the end of suffering both human and environmental around the world, but I would also like to witness and appreciate the skill and commitment of Olympic competition. It inspires me to keep going. Plus you often see an enhanced interested in a particular sport after international success and promoting future generations to participate in sporting activities, is not a bad thing.

Having experienced (OK, to a much lesser degree!) what it takes to training to do things like this, I don’t believe my views on the rights and wrongs around the world should be allowed to rob another athlete of their chance of glory, unless of course it is their own conscience that motivates them to withdraw.

What do you think?