Why gag the media? Gag the athletes

Here’s a pretty disturbing report from Australia, which suggests that Australia’s federal government is forcing athletes to sign a 53-page document that means they will have to ask permission to comment on human rights during the Beijing Games.

Speaking to ABC news, Australian Olympic Committee media director Mike Tancred said the agreement is designed to stop athletes “criticising team mates” and not a means to gag political commentary.

Tancred told ABC TV's Lateline program: “We want them to talk about their own prospects and performances, thank their mum and their dad, their coaches, but not to be critical of their team-mates or other teams,” he said.

The report said athletes could be sent home if the agreement was broken.

Critics of the move are only expected to grow as the Olympic Torch makes its way to Tibet in about six weeks time – en route to Beijing.

A 2004 Olympic finalist Michelle Engelsman, a strong critic of China's human rights record, has joined Team Darfur, a worldwide group of athletes “raising awareness of China's support for the Sudanese regime responsible for violence in Darfur.”

She told ABC news the Tibetan uprising has added to her concerns.

“To be going into a country that has massive rioting and death going on, that's definitely something to be paying attention to and be concerned," she said.

“But I think the biggest thing to come out of that is greater external pressure to allow foreign media in, to allow the UN to go in and have a look at what's happening and really push for human rights.”