French pole vaulter calls for human rights initiative
PARIS, March 21 (Reuters) - French pole vaulter Romain Mesnil, a silver medallist at last year’s world athletics championships, called on Friday for an initiative by athletes in favour of human rights at the Beijing Olympics in August.
“Following the late exposure by media of the non respect of human rights by China, I believe an initiative from athletes at the Olympics would be welcome,” Mesnil, the president the French Athletes’ Syndicate, said in a statement.
“It would be interesting, for instance, if the athletes who wish to do so could wear a green ribbon, the colour of hope, for the duration of the Games”, he added.
Mesnil said he felt such an initiative would not be a political statement and would not violate the Olympic Charter, which forbids any kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda during the Games.
China’s crackdown on protests in Tibet has fuelled a debate among athletes on whether they should use the Games to make a statement for the respect of human rights.
(Writing by Patrick Vignal; editing by Rex Gowar)