Fireworks over the National Stadium in the opening ceremony at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Photograph: Tim Wimborne/ Reuters
Aside from the enormous pressure to achieve the most gold medals, the Olympics is the number one chance for its host to flaunt their intentional friendliness and economical strength through various showcases, from the preparation process to the grand opening ceremony.
And it is without a doubt that the press’s role is crucial when it comes to the success of an Olympic Games.
Last year, even though the Chinese government put an admirable effort in the Olympics, they nevertheless received criticisms for the restrictions on the press. The Chinese authorities went back on their promise that “there will be no restrictions on journalists reporting on the Olympic Games” in 2001.
James Doran’s report on the Guardian, “Beijing lays down the law for army of global media”, gave an overview account of how the foreign media was treated during the game, saying: “China has tried to give the impression that it has relaxed many of its despotic media restrictions for the Olympics… but little has changed.”
But this time the headline did not come from a one-party state country. It was a scandal which sparked a debate over the freedom of expression in Vancouver, Canada -
the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, as well as the 5th ranking country in America area in the Freedom of the Press report in 2009.
Amy Goodman interviewed on CBC News. Photograph: CBC
Amy Goodman, host of daily international TV/radio news hours called
Democracy Now! in North America, was
detained at the Canadian border when she drove through it with two colleagues to give a speech at the Vancouver Public Library.
Goodman described in her column on rabble.ca how she was treated by the border guards, who questioned her over the content of her speech, and whether she would be talking about the Vancouver Olympic Games. She commented that her detention and interrogation were “not only a violation of freedom of the press but also a violation of the public’s right to know.”
She said:
“It was then that I started learning about what was going on. The crackdown is widespread, it turns out. David Eby, executive director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, told me, “We have a billion dollars being spent on security here; protesters and activists have been identified as the No. 1 security threat to the Olympic Games … we have new city bylaws that restrict the content of people’s signs.” According to critics, the police can raid your home if you place an anti-Olympic sign in your window. There are concerns that homeless people may be swept from Vancouver, about how much public funding the Games are receiving while vital social services are financially starved. Anti-Olympic activists — and their family and friends — are being followed, detained and questioned.”
The incident has brought the issues of press freedom in Canada as the Olympics draws closer into the spotlight. Many have commented that this is an “embarrassment” for the free press status in the country. But similar to the example from the Beijing Olympics, the Canada government would try to shine the public away from anything that could damage the good image in which they spend a lot of money to promote.
Sports journalist Dave Zirin wrote on the Huffington Post :
“Harsha Walia, member of No One Is Illegal and the Olympic Resistance Network, said to me, “In the lead-up to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, we have witnessed and been subjected to an increasingly fortified police state, including intimidation and harassment of activists by security and intelligence forces as part of an unparalleled $1 billion security and surveillance network. In contravention of basic rights, police have stated their plans to set up checkpoints, search people without cause, and erect security exclusion zones.”
The Canadian government has leveled public housing, stifled civil liberties and harassed local activists. The last thing they want is someone like Amy Goodman telling the world.”
Will the 2012 Olympic Games in London lead to any speculation regarding press freedom? It is still early to say. However, it is almost certain that the job of journalists are made harder as the Games become increasingly important to a nation’s status.
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Olympic Games: catalyst of press freedom violations
4 12 2009Fireworks over the National Stadium in the opening ceremony at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Photograph: Tim Wimborne/ Reuters
And it is without a doubt that the press’s role is crucial when it comes to the success of an Olympic Games.
Last year, even though the Chinese government put an admirable effort in the Olympics, they nevertheless received criticisms for the restrictions on the press. The Chinese authorities went back on their promise that “there will be no restrictions on journalists reporting on the Olympic Games” in 2001.
James Doran’s report on the Guardian, “Beijing lays down the law for army of global media”, gave an overview account of how the foreign media was treated during the game, saying: “China has tried to give the impression that it has relaxed many of its despotic media restrictions for the Olympics… but little has changed.”
But this time the headline did not come from a one-party state country. It was a scandal which sparked a debate over the freedom of expression in Vancouver, Canada -
the host of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, as well as the 5th ranking country in America area in the Freedom of the Press report in 2009.
Amy Goodman interviewed on CBC News. Photograph: CBC
Goodman described in her column on rabble.ca how she was treated by the border guards, who questioned her over the content of her speech, and whether she would be talking about the Vancouver Olympic Games. She commented that her detention and interrogation were “not only a violation of freedom of the press but also a violation of the public’s right to know.”
She said:
The incident has brought the issues of press freedom in Canada as the Olympics draws closer into the spotlight. Many have commented that this is an “embarrassment” for the free press status in the country. But similar to the example from the Beijing Olympics, the Canada government would try to shine the public away from anything that could damage the good image in which they spend a lot of money to promote.
Sports journalist Dave Zirin wrote on the Huffington Post :
Will the 2012 Olympic Games in London lead to any speculation regarding press freedom? It is still early to say. However, it is almost certain that the job of journalists are made harder as the Games become increasingly important to a nation’s status.
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Tags: 2010 Vancouver, Amy Goodman, Beijing, border control, Canada, censorship, media, Olympics, press, press freedom, restricted press
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