Today's Olympics Update

News from over at telegraph.co.uk says that China kinda sorta is bending to the will of others... kinda.

From Richard Spencer (from Beijing for the Olympics) for the telegraph over in the UK, it seems (according to his piece "For the first time" major international websites devoted to human rights, such as those of Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, were freely accessible on computer screens across the city.

Now while at the Olympics it seems that english speaking (and thus reading) individuals would be able to see and read articles with headlines such as "Chinese authorities' broken promises threaten Olympic legacy"... oh, sure, rub it in their faces that they're about as reliable as a politician of anywhere country Earth post election day voting. Nice. Also you can check out Chinese prisoners apparently at a sentencing rally before being executed.

Besides that a block on the BBC Chinese language news site was also lifted, along with other foreign media whose sites previously triggered a message saying: "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage" when accessed from inside China... so, what does this mean? Well, not even the reporter himself could say if this was a full country thing or just for the media's benefit, but reports seem to indicate that these sites are visible in other cities other than the host city of the Olympics.

Of course if you think this means China's biting the bullet and deciding to play nice? Well... not really. President Hu Jintao, in a rare press conference with foreign journalists (maybe he's shy), seemed to "issue a warning on how China expected the Games to be portrayed." according to the article posted today at the telegraph.

(Richard Spencer) "Saying he welcomed journalists to report on the Games, Mr Hu added: "Of course, we also hope that during their coverage foreign reporters will follow and abide by Chinese laws and regulations."

He pledged that political as well as economic reform would be strengthened after the Games, but he refused to give any ground to critics of China over its human rights record, refusing to answer one question on the subject.

"We believe that politicising the Olympics does not favour resolving these issues, and also violates the Olympic spirit," he said."

Yeah, well hope China is going to just be happy with the one Olympics as I don't think they'll be able to trick the IOC into letting them... oh, wait, the IOC is easily tricked (just look at the long record of inferior video game product they've had their official name slapped on to see how easily guilable they are to promises that never pan out). Never mind, forget I said anything.

So why the change? Well, after having a bitter spat between members of the IOC (President and staff one and all) and the Beijing Olympics organizing committee? It just had to happen... and I am betting this will not be the last time the two butt heads during this whole Olympics (something tells me we're going to see them come to verbal exchanges again before too long -- of course if they manage to play nice that'd be swell, just somehow I wonder if that'll happen).

So how did this all come to pass?
1-Journalists over there complained to the top of the IOC press commission (one Kevan Gosper) that websites were blocked in the Olympic village and media centre despite promises that reporters would be allowed the same freedom as at previous games... which seems to be the freedom to criticize the host city since all the sites they want to go to are all about China's dysfunctional hiccups.

And yes, China, it's your fault. Stop being jerks.

2-Mr Gosper turns about and accuses his own associates at the IOC (IOC officials) of having a little behind the back "secret deal" (more or less) with Beijing to allow continued censorship, going so far as to suggest that allegedly the IOC president, Jacques Rogge (who maybe should have known better about going on the record officially and making promises about unfettered access to journalists without making 110% said promise could be delivered) must have known about it.
Did he know? Did he not know? Only Mr. Rogge can say.

3-After the allegations are made, the IOC went back to re-negotiate with Beijing and their people, whose chief spokesman had acknowledged that some sites would remain censored.

The end results was a bit of freedom and a bit of censorship. You get a little of this, they block a little of that. All in all it’s not that bad, and besides which you’d think these news organizations (especially the Monied Media) don’t have minions outside of China who could do all the checking of all these sites themselves (must you be in Beijing in order to look up information on China, especially info that is traditionally blocked by China? Can you not ask Tim or Jane the Intern left back in your home country to do all your research on the blocked site while you're away from the office?)

According to Giselle Davioes (chief spokeswoman for the IOC) "Following discussions the IOC held with BOCOG and Chinese authorities regarding difficulties experienced this week in accessing some web sites, the IOC is pleased to see that the issues are being quickly resolved,"

And now you know abit more… imagine what you’ll find out tomorrow.