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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 1287 Views
Being on a country's Olympic team is a privilege, not a right - 25/07/2012 11:00:24 PM 767 Views
So banning blacks would be cool if it was legal in that country? - 25/07/2012 11:08:52 PM 932 Views
If that's how the country wants to run itself - 25/07/2012 11:13:04 PM 804 Views
The IOC can ban nations from participating for that sort of stunt. - 25/07/2012 11:33:23 PM 958 Views
So that excuses thought control? - 25/07/2012 11:49:58 PM 860 Views
If Hitler could let Jesse Owens run... - 25/07/2012 11:07:19 PM 990 Views
Yes. Political power should not be used to enforce morals. - 25/07/2012 11:53:19 PM 734 Views
The national Olympic Committees aren't the government. - 26/07/2012 12:02:43 AM 723 Views
Even worse. - 26/07/2012 12:08:05 AM 766 Views
Erm - 26/07/2012 12:29:32 AM 806 Views
I fail to see how the whole team would be thrown out. - 26/07/2012 12:41:16 AM 799 Views
Because the IOC throws them out if the national government interferes in the national committe. *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:43:39 AM 431 Views
Well, that's absurd. - 26/07/2012 01:09:41 AM 872 Views
As with most things, I doubt the practice matches the theory - 26/07/2012 10:45:55 AM 780 Views
Africans != illegals - 25/07/2012 11:19:32 PM 832 Views
Specious reasoning. - 26/07/2012 12:07:08 AM 698 Views
Who are you to decide that? - 26/07/2012 12:16:45 AM 856 Views
I'm not the one deciding. - 26/07/2012 12:36:17 AM 700 Views
Essentially you're saying "there are lots of racists in Europe". - 26/07/2012 08:28:26 AM 815 Views
That's an oversimplification. - 29/07/2012 03:13:14 AM 768 Views
You stated it as a fact. - 26/07/2012 07:49:58 PM 758 Views
I think any organisation should have the right to choose who represents them - 25/07/2012 11:20:36 PM 776 Views
Well, but that's not the end of it. - 26/07/2012 12:12:09 AM 840 Views
It is for me - 26/07/2012 12:26:25 AM 754 Views
So...conformity ahead? *NM* - 26/07/2012 12:40:03 AM 368 Views
Is that all that happened? - 25/07/2012 11:28:17 PM 711 Views
That and some pro-Golden Dawn statements. - 26/07/2012 12:14:25 AM 900 Views
For me it is more than enough - 26/07/2012 12:32:35 AM 694 Views
It's not what happened to her that I typically waver on. - 27/07/2012 03:08:45 PM 726 Views
It's not a matter of freedom of expression - 26/07/2012 09:49:59 PM 900 Views
This. *NM* - 26/07/2012 10:26:37 PM 390 Views
I oppose censorship even if it is not comng from the government - 26/07/2012 10:16:30 PM 745 Views
How is it censorship? - 27/07/2012 02:33:30 AM 849 Views
try looking up the word censorship and ask yourself would their actions supress speech - 27/07/2012 02:59:11 AM 973 Views
I know the definition thank you. How exactly was her communication suppressed? - 27/07/2012 05:54:39 PM 875 Views
you are right public punishment of political expression could never been seen as suppression - 27/07/2012 06:20:15 PM 996 Views
Well - 27/07/2012 07:20:27 PM 748 Views
Where did she ever imply she wanted them to be bitten? *NM* - 27/07/2012 08:03:05 PM 444 Views
Hello earth.... "food from home". - 27/07/2012 08:26:15 PM 727 Views
OK I repeat my question: Where did she she WANTED them to be bit? - 30/07/2012 09:07:01 PM 1021 Views
Um, she referred to them as food? - 27/07/2012 08:38:22 PM 776 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:18 PM 496 Views
No what is silly is inferring that she hoped they would be bitten *NM* - 30/07/2012 09:09:27 PM 406 Views
I'm with you on this - I don't think she wanted them to be bitten. - 27/07/2012 09:02:05 PM 802 Views
It was insensitive at best - 30/07/2012 09:25:06 PM 1255 Views
One problem. - 27/07/2012 04:54:52 AM 756 Views
Exactly - 27/07/2012 12:05:14 PM 760 Views
where do you people get these backasswards idea of what censorship is? PCmart? - 27/07/2012 02:01:29 PM 812 Views
We can have this conversation w/o you being mean. - 27/07/2012 02:57:02 PM 758 Views
I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 04:18:54 PM 861 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 05:01:37 PM 771 Views
OK did I miss read what you said? - 27/07/2012 06:41:51 PM 912 Views
No, but the disagreement is important. - 27/07/2012 07:09:11 PM 758 Views
Re: I never claimed I was against repercussions and people here are denying it is censorship - 27/07/2012 06:23:17 PM 702 Views
sorry I forgot the Olympic spirit was about banning athletes for dumb jokes they apologized for - 27/07/2012 08:30:08 PM 685 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 708 Views
I know you said it but do you actually believe it? - 27/07/2012 01:56:35 PM 727 Views
It's a good question, but yes, I do. - 27/07/2012 02:42:28 PM 777 Views
Are going to ban everyone and everyone country who says something about anyone else? - 27/07/2012 04:47:51 PM 689 Views
Yes, that is clearly exactly what I said. - 27/07/2012 05:10:37 PM 740 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 751 Views
Surely you don't think... - 27/07/2012 02:57:47 PM 673 Views
Heh. - 27/07/2012 05:53:07 PM 902 Views
Typo? There are limits to our credulity... or to mine, anyway. - 27/07/2012 06:27:44 PM 753 Views
Looks like Voula Papachristou agrees with Tom - 27/07/2012 07:09:30 PM 781 Views
Quite understandable. But so's the Greek OC's decision. - 27/07/2012 07:11:31 PM 783 Views
And now a Swiss footabller has gone as well - 30/07/2012 08:22:45 PM 797 Views
That's just poor sportsmanship. *NM* - 30/07/2012 08:53:53 PM 505 Views
And an Australian athlete has been sent home now - 04/08/2012 10:12:12 AM 624 Views

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