Never Keep Your Olympic Promises
Recent reports of several countries choosing to train their athletes outside of Beijing because of pollution suggests that China’s promise of a “Green Olympics” won’t be kept. The mounting media interest in the arrest of Hu Jia, and the house arrest of his two month old infant also suggests the human rights situation is worsening too. (How to ruin your Olympic image: suppress your critics is a good primer on that topic.)
Now here is another Olympic promise that is not being kept. The Financial Times writes about a lawsuit being brought against the organizers of the Beijing Olympics. The slogan for the 2008 Olympic games - “One World, One Dream” - was chosen after a contest that allowed people from all over the world to suggest a new slogan. According to the article, the organizing committee “originally promised to issue a certificate of recognition to the participant.”
“There was no single winner,” Liu Qi, Beijing Communist party chief and Bocog president, said in 2005. “The slogan embodies the wisdom of hundreds of thousands of people.”
It turns out that may not be exactly true.
Fang Shouwei, a Beijing resident said he came up with the slogan. He is taking the Beijing Organizing Committee to court, claiming he has evidence that he proposed the English-language phrase chosen. He is suing for the certificate and to have his legal bills paid.
If this turns out to be true, it would be a fairly stupid move. After all, delivering clean air and human rights are gigantic tasks. Recognition comes much easier.
Here is the complete Financial Times article: China Olympics sued for copyright abuse
Tags: olympics