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In the weeks since the outbreak of demonstrations in Tibet, much debate has evolved around the Olympic Games in China. Should there be a boycott? How can the athletes express their opinion? Now athletes have found a way to show their disapproval of China’s politics without violating the Olympic Charter.

Athletes that want to demonstrate their awareness and disapproval of China’s human rights policies, or its actions in Tibet and Sudan, are on a difficult stand. The Olympic Charter holds that

“no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites,venues or other areas.” (Article 51.3).

And if you thought wearing a towel with a Tibetian flag printed on it would not fall under this rule, read on:

“No form of publicity or propaganda, commercial or otherwise,may appear on persons, on sportswear, accessories or (…) on any article of clothing or equipment whatsoever worn or used by the athletes or other participants in the Olympic Games.”

Violation of this rule will lead to an athlete being banned from the Olympic Games. The athletes feel this would punish those that have trained and worked very hard to compete at the Olympics for a political failure. How can the dilemma be solved?

The secret lies within small wristbands similar to those of Lance Armstrong’s “Live Strong” foundation. Only that these ones are blue and green, and bear the engraved words “Sports for Human Rights”. The founders of this idea are an association of sports enthusiasts that run the German website Netzathleten.de. They “want to set a clear sign for the respect of human rights and free press.”

One can order the little bracelets for 1 € each at their website. Proceeds are donated to Amnesty International. For now, ordering is limited to Europe.

The founders want to avoid being caught in the above rule by aiming their protest not at the situation in Tibet but at the respect of human rights in general, which they say is no less than what China has allowed. The project has been receiving positive media attention, and many German athletes who will compete in Bejing have already joined in. Hopefully, we will see many of the green and blue demonstrations of solidarity and awareness at the Bejing Olympics this summer!

By Jessica Binsch