Should we boycott the Olympic Games?

The author is the general manager of the Quebec Athletics Federation.

With the major global event just months away, the political situation in China is fueling much debate and passion. As tensions run high, many are already taking to the barricades, proudly waving the banner of boycott.

Olympic athletes are becoming bargaining chips. It's an easy step to take when it comes to sacrificing them in the name of a political ideal. All those years of preparation are irrelevant. The goal of a lifetime of sport is irrelevant. If, as a sign of Tibetan solidarity and respect for rights and freedoms, the headline were to read "Montreal Canadiens boycott the playoffs!", one can already imagine the outcry!

On the other hand, the various governments of the world seem hesitant about the idea of a boycott. Not since the Berlin Olympics in 1936 has the host city caused such a stir in a long time.

A formidable global showcase, China has been waiting for "its" Olympic Games for years. It's an exceptional opportunity to polish its image. Pulling the rug out from under its feet would risk putting it in a bad mood. We need it so badly. We sell it nuclear reactors, airplanes, weapons, new technologies. Not to mention the establishment of factories with cheap labor. You don't bite the hand that feeds you.

And what about Western athletes in all this? Whether in sports or ideology, they wield extraordinary media power that others lack. The only requirement: being in Beijing! Listening to and watching billions of television viewers, radio listeners, and readers, they'll have free rein to make their voices heard. Their greatest strength? It's difficult to predict who, when, and where it will come from. Trust them, they're resourceful.

Imagine the scene. Billions of viewers are glued to their TV screens. The medal ceremony for the 100m sprint is underway. The winner is on the podium. The gold medal is placed around his neck. He opens his jacket. Underneath, a t-shirt. On his chest, the words "Free Tibet!"«

Doesn't this remind you of anything? Mexico City, 1968. The medal ceremony for the 200m sprint. On the podium, two Black Americans: Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze). Heads bowed. Fists raised. Wearing black gloves. A symbol of the fight against racial segregation in the United States. The image went around the world. Many times.

Boycott or not? You be the judge…