Gosper's Stand May Cost His Job

Sun Herald

Sunday August 3, 2008

By JACQUELIN MAGNAY BEIJING

AUSTRALIA'S International Olympic Committee member, Kevan Gosper, may struggle to retain his position as the committee's press commission chairman in the fallout of China's internet censorship row.

Mr Gosper's public references to the IOC president Jacques Rogge and his suspicions of a deal having been done between the committee and Chinese authorities have not gone down well in the Beijing Hotel, where the executive board is meeting before Tuesday's full session of 115 members.

As Australian athletes started arriving in Beijing to prepare for the Games, which start on Friday, China has begun to open up various websites, including some that had not been open in China before, such as Amnesty International's, after earlier blocking the sites.

The Chinese will continue to block pornographic sites and those considered subversive to the national interest, but the situation of internet access has improved considerably over the past 24 hours.

Mr Gosper's role in highlighting the issue may cost him his plum position.

One IOC source said: "The second he mentioned the president as having gone behind his back, that was it, his days are numbered, we will be looking for a new press chief."

But Mr Gosper was putting on a brave face yesterday, saying: "I have been in the IOC for over 30 years and chairman of the press commission for 20 years and I have taken that responsibility very seriously."

The committee publicly denied any deal, a version of events supported by Mr Gosper yesterday after having been briefed by Mr Rogge and the Beijing co-ordination chairman, Hein Verbruggen.

Mr Gosper said the demarcation lines of what constituted "subversive" activities as determined by the Chinese Government were "blurred, but we will deal with it". "It has been a fairly rough week but worth it to get this issue cleared away."

Dr Rogge said last night the 10,500 athletes competing at the Beijing Olympic Games had the right to protest against China, if they so wished, but encouraged the athletes to not turn the Games into a propaganda exercise.

Dr Rogge said the Olympic Village, with athletes from a record number of 205 nations, was a microcosm of the entire world.

But he said if the IOC allowed propaganda that would be the end of the Olympic movement.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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