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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 1324 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 811 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 970 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 843 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 993 Views
So that excuses thought control? - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 896 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 1033 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 774 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 759 Views
Even worse. - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 803 Views
Erm - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 840 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 836 Views
Because the IOC throws them out if the national government interferes in the national committe. *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:43:39 AM 445 Views
Well, that's absurd. - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 915 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 813 Views
Africans != illegals - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 872 Views
Specious reasoning. - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 737 Views
Who are you to decide that? - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 901 Views
I'm not the one deciding. - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 735 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 857 Views
That's an oversimplification. - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 806 Views
You stated it as a fact. - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 795 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 813 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 876 Views
It is for me - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 786 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 384 Views
Is that all that happened? - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 749 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 940 Views
For me it is more than enough - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 725 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 762 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 944 Views
This. *NM* - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 404 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 782 Views
How is it censorship? - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 886 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 1015 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 910 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 1032 Views
Well - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 784 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 462 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 763 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1081 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 814 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 518 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 427 Views
I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. - 27/07/2012 09:02:05 PM 838 Views
It was insensitive at best - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1290 Views
One problem. - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 790 Views
Exactly - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 791 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 851 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 795 Views
I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 04:18:54 PM 899 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 05:01:37 PM 816 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 955 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 798 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 06:23:17 PM 738 Views
sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for - 27/07/2012 08:30:08 PM 725 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 756 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 769 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 814 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 730 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 776 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 790 Views
Surely you don't think... - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 703 Views
Heh. - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 940 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 788 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 815 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 821 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 834 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 523 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 657 Views

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