My New Olympic Dream

But the question of how to speak out is a complicated one.

For one thing, I understand how much Beijing's organizers have at stake in ensuring a successful event. I also understand the pride that the Chinese take in hosting the event: I remember how much it meant to me that my first Olympics were held in the United States in the months following Sept. 11, 2001.

For another, the International Olympic Committee has all kinds of rules and restrictions. Rule 51.3 of the Olympic Charter prohibits demonstrations of "political, religious or racial propaganda" at the official venues. Earlier this month, the rules got even more confusing. In a letter sent to national Olympic committees, the IOC said that prohibited conduct could include written or oral statements. The Olympics, the letter stated, are not a stage for "political statements about issues such as armed conflicts, regional differences, religious disputes, and many others."

Right now, this one small section of the Olympic charter is what people are focusing on, trying to determine whether it's possible to both speak one's mind and represent one's country. But the entire Olympic Charter is full of soaring rhetoric about elevating humanity through sport. I'm astounded by how often this rule is used not to promote that goal, but to stifle it.

So I recommend reading rule 51.3 along with a different bureaucratic agenda item. This one is from the U.N. General Assembly: a resolution, passed last fall, urging its members to observe what's known as the "Olympic truce" during the Olympics in August and the Paralympics in September. The truce is an effort to "use sport as an instrument to promote peace," a modern version of what the Greeks called "Ekecheiria" and observed during ancient Olympiads. The goal today is to use a short window this summer as one way to temporarily halt conflicts -- a step toward some more permanent kind of reconciliation.

For my fellow athletes who will gather to compete at the gleaming new venues China will unveil: Your efforts might give you the chance to improve the lives of millions. I hope that goal will resonate for everyone stepping to a microphone after a big win this summer.

joey@teamdarfur.org

Joey Cheek, a member of the 2002 and 2006 U.S. Olympic speed skating teams, is co-founder of Team Darfur and a student at Princeton University.