Olympic sense
Good to see the NZOC and Government are backing down on the muzzling of NZ atheletes, with a proposed change to their contracts. I think this would have become very very damaging for the Govt if there had not been a backdown.
I agree with Keith Locke that the section banning atheletes from writing blogs should also be removed – the Australians have no restriction he points out.
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February 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
So Keith Locke is FOR freedom of speech now?? How did the greens vote during the EFB again?
February 20th, 2008 at 12:52 pm
Slightlyrighty, the Greens are for freedom of speech in OTHER countries, not New Zealand so their support for the EFB was perfectly okay.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Next we want to see the NZ Government (of any color) not pandering to the Chinese when they are in our country.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Just a reminder, the EFB is a situation where “freedom of speech” was in conflict with “democratic equality”, so the Greens were just more in favour of the latter than they are in favour of the former.
For example, if you don’t think people should be allowed to publish death threats, are you against freedom of speech?
February 20th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
“if you don’t think people should be allowed to publish death threats, are you against freedom of speech?”
Ryan, Yes you would be against freedom of speech. There are other laws that cover the death threats, they are covered by the Crimes Act. The death threats are then dealt with as it should be so the threat not for the action of saying it.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
There was actually quite a rigorous discussion of this on Radio Sport yesterday between Keith Quinn (I think) and a rep for the NZOC.
(No, seriously!)
The rep of the NZOC was fairly adamant that the reasons for the clause are:
(1) To ensure athletes focus 100% on their sport, not political axe-grinding
(2) To ensure athletes do not make comments that put themselves in trouble with the local law enforcement authorities;
(3) To ensure the Olympic Games remains a sporting event and is not obstructed by political activism.
he also made a number of observations that might be pertinent, or might be a bit sarky:
(4) The athletes are subject to the contract for 17 days of their lives, after which they are free to talk politics in any way they choose.
(5) Employment contracts limiting the signatory’s right to speak political opinions in public are not at all uncommon.
(6) The NZ public would look at the NZOC in askance if one of our athletes made a political statement that got him/her arrested, or marred a good day at the track.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:13 pm
That doesn’t need a contract, RRM. All it needs is for the head of the NZOC to say to athletes: “Hey, remember you’re going to China to win medals, not shit-stir. Say what you like as long as you win. If you don’t bloody well win, and you cause trouble over there, nobody is going to have any sympathy for you. Do your bloody job.”
February 20th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
A small group of New Zealand Olympians got a right old bollocking from the NZ press, at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, for bowing (albeit exaggerated bowing) in front of the Japanese Emperor during the melee following the closing ceremony. The press maintained it was insulting to the host nation, while Japanese citizens found it respectful and welcome, as the athletes concerned maintained it was. But a major story at the time.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Next we want to see the NZ Government (of any color) not pandering to the Chinese when they are in our country.
Or maybe just not let the Chinese in in the first place?
February 20th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
“Or maybe just not let the Chinese in in the first place?”
Heh, I remember “pandering” to a Chinese girl a while back. Best shag of my life, by a mile. You racial-hatred types don’t appreciate what you’re missing
February 20th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
RRM, I don’t mean we shouldn’t be letting people of Chinese descent in. I mean we shouldn’t be letting Chinese government officials or businessmen with ties to the government into the country. In fact we shouldn’t be recognising China at all.
I guess I should have been clearer when I said ‘the Chinese’, so I apologise if I have offended any New Zealanders of Chinese descent who read this.
I won’t comment on your sexual exploits except to say that I don’t think the young lady in question would appreciate you bragging about it in a public forum.