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Re: sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for DomA Send a noteboard - 27/07/2012 09:01:07 PM
I guess you can make the argument that the Greeks have the right to ban anyone they choose but by the same token I have the right to point out that they are small minded morons how have no tolerance for people who don't toe the line on political opinion. It is a two edged sword you know.


Of course.

And I repeat that personally I wouldn't have banned her for this, rather have her issue a public apology and reiterate her beliefs in the olympics ideals.

But the decision of the Greek OC is perfectly understandable and justifiable. I just happen to disagree completely with the censorshîp/freedom of expression angle on this, as to me it's clearly just a case of violating the Olympics values and be stupid enough to do so publicly.

For the rest yeah, there's a ton of major issues with the Olympics and the IOC. It's just that a national committee banning an athlete who publicly contradicted the olympic values she was about to swear to uphold isn't one of these issues to make any fuss over. The punishment is harsh, but she's the one who seriously lacked judgement and sense of responsability. Nothing would have happened had she told the joke to her friends rather than stupidly publishing it on Twitter for the world to see. She's hardly the only xenophobe (or stupid) athlete worlwide, I'm sure.

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Am I the only one who thinks Voula Papachristou should not have been kicked out of the Olympics? - 25/07/2012 10:55:19 PM 1452 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 914 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 1059 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 936 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 1087 Views
So that excuses thought control? - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 995 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 1129 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 861 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 847 Views
Even worse. - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 901 Views
Erm - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 934 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 926 Views
Because the IOC throws them out if the national government interferes in the national committe. *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:43:39 AM 491 Views
Well, that's absurd. - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 1005 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 907 Views
Africans != illegals - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 969 Views
Specious reasoning. - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 831 Views
Who are you to decide that? - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 995 Views
I'm not the one deciding. - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 836 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 952 Views
That's an oversimplification. - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 910 Views
You stated it as a fact. - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 883 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 901 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 969 Views
It is for me - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 889 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 426 Views
Is that all that happened? - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 847 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 1039 Views
For me it is more than enough - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 817 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 857 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 1050 Views
This. *NM* - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 443 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 890 Views
How is it censorship? - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 995 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 1108 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 1012 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 1123 Views
Well - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 891 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 509 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 852 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1172 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 927 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 564 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 475 Views
I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. - 27/07/2012 09:02:05 PM 928 Views
It was insensitive at best - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1452 Views
One problem. - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 888 Views
Exactly - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 890 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 955 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 932 Views
I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 04:18:54 PM 996 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 05:01:37 PM 910 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 1055 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 889 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 06:23:17 PM 847 Views
sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for - 27/07/2012 08:30:08 PM 828 Views
Re: sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for - 27/07/2012 09:01:07 PM 851 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 894 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 919 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 829 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 871 Views
i have a feeling you are being influenced by that pic they run with all the articles about her? - 27/07/2012 02:14:13 PM 887 Views
Surely you don't think... - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 792 Views
Heh. - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 1042 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 901 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 920 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 929 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 924 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 585 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 753 Views

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