The IOC and China: A Marriage Made in Hell

Steve Friess takes down the International Olympic Committee and China:

No, the IOC's new wife knew this marriage of convenience would be too great an opportunity, and divorce far too costly, far too humiliating. Even after China's duplicity led to the outbreak of SARS and massive damage to the economies of Asia and Canada in 2003, the IOC held firm. The IOC also shrugged when China's lies led to the 2006 poisoning of a river shared with Russia. And it was much too late for it to matter when illicit manufacturing practices in China led to last year's massive product recalls and the deaths of hundreds of pets worldwide.

The trouble is that the whole world will be watching this month - and will know what it sees. That old trick China has played all this decade - with the IOC's help - of simply saying the opposite of the truth, and having the world believe it, can't work with this sort of withering scrutiny.

That's oddly reassuring. China is not ready for her close-up. This bride is about to be exposed for the lying, cheating gold digger she was all along.

The IOC has been complicit in some shady deals throughout its history including the vile Avery Brundage who refused to allow the 1936 Olympics in Berlin to be moved or canceled when Jewish athletes were excluded and his heartless push to continue the Munich games after Palestinian terrorists killed Israeli athletes and coaches in September 1972.

Spaniard Juan Antonio Samaranch ruled the IOC and while President corruption flourished. His "leadership" encouraged bribery while looking the other way at the indiscretions and human rights abuses of countries hoping to host the games, including the oppressive regime in China.

Current IOC President Belgian Jacques Rogge has been duped repeatedly by the ChiComs who promised clean air, unlimited freedom of access via the Internet and improved human rights. They've delivered on none of the above and once the cameras are gone, the crackdown on Tibet and groups like the Falun Gong will recommence with fervor. The Chinese government did "relax" restrictions on the net yesterday but unfettered access isn't going to happen and the "Great Firewall" will go right back up after the world leaves and looks the other way as we they did when tanks ravaged student at Tienanmen Square.

Read the entire piece as it is a devastating indictment of the IOC and China written by a man who knows the country well.