china_conference_site

Thank you for offering me and the Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports this opportunity to listen, learn and to share. My warmest greetings from our President, Ms Tove Paule, who was the one invited to speak today, but who unfortunately for her (fortunately for me) had other business in Vietnam these days.

Before I speak on what we have done to position our organisation and to brief our athletes and the squads, I must point out two basic prerequisites for why we chose our approach to this.

NIF, which is the Norwegian acronym for our organisation, is an organisation embracing every aspect of sport in Norway. From a child's first encounter with organised sport to preparation for the Olympic podium, all athletes are part of our organisation. That means out of 4,5 million Norwegians, NIF has 2,1 million memberships. NIF is an important part of our society.

Sport is an integral part of any society and on that account, NIF is an integral part of the Norwegian society. We cannot distance ourselves nor our athletes from the issues concerning our society.

Background:
o Sport is politics! Has been, is, and will be
o Ancient Olympics
o Preparations for war
o Health and Hygiene
o Physical Activity in society
o Social inclusion
o Sport and development co-operation - Sport as a vehicle for change
o UN - "Sport for Development and Peace"

o But, NIF is not a political organisation

o A unanimous AGM voted last year to participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing this year

o The IOC has given the games to China and to Beijing

o We believe that dialogue and participation is far better than boycott and isolation - and NIF, like everyone else, hopes that the Games as an important part of a long term process, will lead to positive development with regard to human rights.

o Boycott history - 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988. Lessons learned?

o Not a spotlight - a floodlight!
o 25 000 accredited journalists will be in Beijing. They would not be there and would not be able to report the same way, were it not for the Olympics
o 10 000 athletes and support staff, in mutual and hopefully open dialogue there and at home
o Spectators, tourists etc, etc will be allowed to visit, to report and to document the situations they experience
o The torch relay - represents a tremendous world wide exposure - as witnessed in recent days. In no way would the Tibet situation receive such attention without the Olympics in Beijing

o This is not an argument supporting the decision of placing the Games in China, nor is it an argument for the opposite. The fact remains that the Games have been given to Beijing by the IOC, and it has offered the world a chance to highlight the human rights situation in China, and the Tibet-situation e.g.

o And the attention to the Human Rignts situation in China is present due to the Olympics. Where is the attention on Burma right now? Where is Darfur? Where is Zimbabwe? The Olympic Games offers an arena - an unprecedented arena for attention and exposure.

o The Olympic Games in Beijing can become - and should become - an outstanding opportunity to focus, high light, and express the challenges of China as a vital part of a long term process of change.

o In our opinion, the fact that China so very much wants to arrange the "perfect games" and present their country, is an "advantage for human rights". It enhances the possibilities of change, or at least of influence over the process.

o The open possibility of sanctions is in our opinion, in all probability more important than an actual boycott itself. This is also the case because the IOC shares the ambition of making sure the games leave a legacy - leave a mark. The very brand of the IOC is at stake here.

o But it may be wise to consider a small word of warning - from China:

Kristoffer Rønneberg - a long time correspondent in China for one of our major newspapers, Aftenposten, in a last week edition of his paper:

"The pressure from Western countries toward China the last month, has brought fuel to the fire for Chinese nationalism."

"To a large extent, this nationalism is built from below - it is ordinary Chinese, not the authorities in Beijing, who now are gathering their wrath and directing it toward the West."

o If the Chinese feel that the West again is stomping on their pride, their Games, a feeling underscored by the skewed reporting that exists in China, what long term effect will that have on the action of the Government and the development of Human Rights in the country?

What have we done?
o Very early, NIF saw the challenges of participating in the Olympic Games in Beijing and started an internal exhaustive process on how to approach the matter.

o Some facts:

o IOC is - mildly spoken - not a democratic organisation. We do not have any "bosses" at the IOC, although as an Olympic Committee, we do have a logical connection to the Olympic movement. But NIF is independent and autonomous - just as the IOC is.

o Norway has no representative in the IOC, but IOC has a representative in Norway
o The fact that Gerhard Heiberg is Norwegian, represents a great opportunity - utilised by NIF
o He is a board member of NIF - and meets there
o Has arranged a direct meeting with Dr Jacques Rogge
o The President of our Olympic Committee, Ms Tove Paule, is no "chicken". She is succinct, clear and outspoken. She utilises her possibilities and does speak out.

o We have met "everyone" that wants to speak with us - or to us. We have had, in our opinion, an extensive co-operation with Amnesty with the aim of educating us, novices in the field of human rights. We have sought knowledge and expertise from institutions of higher learning, research institutions e.g.

o Membership in Initiativ for etisk handel - Initiative for Ethical Trade - and have politically accepted ethical guidelines for our own organisation, clearly communicated to our partners and suppliers.

o Met LO, Fellesforbundet, YS and Unio - all major labour organisations in Norway, and have facilitated a meeting with the IOC regarding the production of Olympic promotional goods.

o Our President, Ms Paule, has spoken at various international meetings, lastly the ANOC-meeting in Beijing this week. These meetings include the EOC AGM and the WADA World Conference in Madrid

o Norwegian athletes have been schooled and continuously updated on the situation in China. Over a period of two years, the squad - coaches, officials and probable athletes, have been given written material, attended our own seminars with well known researchers, journalists and other experts on China matters offering knowledge and advise. This "education" includes historical, cultural and political background, as well as the current political and social situation in China.

o All the officials of the Norwegian delegation have been run through a scenario work shop run by the Security branch of our police, and just last week a heavy report from the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Policy was sent to all the athletes along with a legal evaluation of possible consequences of various forms of expression evaluated against the Olympic Charter.

o And we have sought and will follow the advice of the Norwegian MFA with regard to international situations that may occur.

o Norwegian Olympic athletes have a right - a human right - of freedom of speech. They may speak out on human right questions in China, before and during the Games. Naturally, they decide on their own participation - if they qualify - and may decide not to take part in the Opening Ceremony or the Closing Ceremony if they so choose.

o But the main focus of these athletes, after years and years of intense training, is on performing to their utmost during the Olympics. Our top sport section, Olympiatoppen, has their job of preparing the athletes to the best of their abilities. On that account, we must also respect the athletes that do not want to engage themselves or to speak out. We know that our handball team will not participate in the opening ceremonies - as is the case for one of the greatest Chinese hopes, hurdler Liu Xiang - because of athletic, performance related reasons.

o No athletes may use the Olympic venues or arenas for demonstrations. We have accepted the IOC Charter in choosing to participate. There are still playing rules!

o Dilemma: A very limited number of athletes chose, for performance related reasons, to participate in the opening ceremony in Athens in 2004. Hours of waiting, standing around in the heat and so on, were reasons enough not to take part. No one questioned their decision. Will anyone accept the same argument this time, or will their participation or non-participation be credited the boycott/non boycott issue?

o I would like to show you now parts of an advertising campaign that will be run by Amnesty International Norway in the next few weeks. Some of our best athletes have chosen to speak out in partnership with Amnesty on Human Rights, and have been encouraged to do so - if they as individuals felt it was important. Our President, Ms Paule, told me yesterday that she is proud of these athletes - and of course she should be.

o NIF wants to express our hopes that this enormous event - did I not read that it will cost over 100 billion Euros, and is the single largest event ever - will, as a part of a long term process, influence change in China. We, as an organisation, will be direct, open and inclusive now - toward August and during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

o It is also our hope that the organisations utilising this opportunity to high light Human Right issues or the Tibet situation, will seek and find other venues and arenas in addition to the arena of sport, to influence the government of China. Because there are, of course, other possibilities. "All" the clothes, "all" the shoes, "all" the equipment worn and used by all the athletes, are probably "Made in China".

o Norwegian sports have sought information about the situation in China, often with the help of Amnesty. We have shown, through out actions, that we do care about Human Rights issues and we have spoken out about them.

o We have not tried to excuse atrocities and we have challenged our politicians and the IOC to lift Human Rights issues with the relevant authorities in China. Just last week in Beijing, Dr Rogge now opened up for the possibility of the athletes, even in the mixed zone after their events, in interview situations, would be allowed to clearly express their views on any matter. Let us hope the good climate endures!

o Influencing the Human Rights situation in China is a long term job, where the Olympics is just a milestone, although an important one. We believe that NIF can be proud of its position and its actions in this matter.