Parliamentarians form the Council of Europe plan to investigate the free speech rights of athletes participating in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.

According to RSF:

Olympic athletes should not be deterred from giving sincere and honest responses to journalists’ questions or from making comments on the situation of human rights in China or other countries out of fear that those statements will affect their sports careers in any way. Athletes and NOCs need to understand this and that Article 51(3) [of the Olympic Charter] in no way justifies restricting athletes’ right to make such statements.

Preventing athletes from talking about human rights abuses, contrary to their right to freedom of expression, violates the fundamental principles at the heart of the Olympic Charter, contradicts the spirit of the Olympic Games and amounts to condoning the human rights abuses committed by too many countries around the world, including China.

In related news, China's oppression in Tibet continues unabated. (See videos below.)

[Council of Europe, RSF]