The policy calls for a boycott of the Olympic Games in Beijing are more pressing

Ares are political leaders or sportsmen who have publicly raised the possibility of boycotting the Olympics in Beijing since the demonstrations escalated into violence in Tibet. The appeals not to participate in the rally sports have mostly emanated from associations of human rights and Tibet support and predates the early incidents. But since the beginning of the crisis, athletic participation and political presence at the Olympic Games as a means of pressuring the communist regime became an issue that world leaders have a duty to comment. Reporters Without Borders, who recalled having been opposed "from the outset the awarding of the Olympic Games in Beijing, calls for a boycott political rather than sporting, arguing that a total boycott" is no longer on the agenda "because it is impossible to ask "four months of the Olympics for athletes not to go to Beijing." However, its chairman, Robert Menard, believes that "Nicolas Sarkozy, as all heads of state and government," should "boycott the opening ceremony" to send a strong signal. Human Rights Watch has adopted the same position. The organization dismisses any sporting boycott and calls on governments "to demand an improvement [Chinese authorities] before committing to come to the Games." "They should not condone their presence by Chinese repression", has maintained its head, Kenneth Roth. In France, some politicians, such as Jack Lang and the secretary-general of the Socialist Party, Francois Hollande, took the opposite of the government by saying that we should not exclude this possibility not to participate in the Games. Intellectuals like Bernard-Henri Levy also defended the use of the boycott. Senator Robert Badinter, in turn, thought that the athletes wear badges Tibet support, and that "it would have a considerable impact." Only senior European clearly have raised the hypothesis of a non-presence at the Olympic Games, the president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Poettering, said Brussels "[could] do not accept what is happening in Tibet. Chinese must understand that. " "We must send a signal to Beijing (...), we must continue to consider all options." From abroad, in addition to the actor Richard Gere, a long time advocate of the rights of Tibetans, one of the few discordant voices comes from Ma Yong-Jeou, the favorite in the presidential election in Taiwan. He hinted that if elected, he could call for a boycott. "If the Chinese authorities are continuing their crackdown on Tibetans and if the situation deteriorates, and if I am elected President, I does not rule out the possibility of not sending athletes at the Olympics," he said. And in the world of sport, unanimously opposed to such an idea, only the Swiss Olympic Committee has elevated the tone. "We can not be content to observe and say nothing," he said. Even among Tibetans, the question of the boycott is debatable. The Dalai Lama has publicly called to participate in the Olympics, while some community leaders exiled Tibetan offer to organize them in another country. "The best solution would be that the Games should be transferred to a country where human rights are respected," estimated Lhanzom Everding, president of the Association of Tibetans exiled in Germany.