Rev. Danny Fisher

Richard Gere may have important company in his call for a boycott of the 2008 Beijing Olympics if China continues to disrespect human rights in their response to the recent Tibetan protests. ABC News is reporting on comments made to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper in Germany by International Olympic Committee (I.O.C.) vice-president Thomas Bach regarding the sentiments of some of the athletes. It turns out that a number of would-be Olympiads are actively concerned about what is occurring in Tibet.

…Bach says a number of top athletes are considering boycotting the games in China over the bloody crackdown on protesters in Tibet.

“Several sports stars are feeling ill at ease when they think about the Olympic Games. Some are even considering cancelling,” Mr Bach, of Germany, told Sunday’s edition of the Bild am Sonntag newspaper.

Bach expressed hope that the athletes would not boycott the games, saying he did not feel that the Olympics could be “a panacea.” This is an opinion shared by I.O.C. president Jacques Rogge as well.

I have thoughs about an Olympic boycott, but I’ll save them for a longer post. Keep your eyes peeled for that.