Polish President not to attend Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing

Tuesday, 05 August 2008

Polskieradio.pl

Lech Kaczynski, the Polish President, confirmed earlier reports that he would not go to Beijing for the opening of the Summer Games.

He said he shared the sentiments of Hans Gert Poettering, president of the European Parliament, who said that the athletes should express their protest against human rights violations in Tibet.

Meanwhile, the Polish Olympic Committee has announced that Polish athletes will be able to manifest their solidarity with Tibet but only outside the Olympic venues and the Olympic Village.

Committee Chairman Piotr Nurowski stressed that those who express their views during the competition will face punishment by the International Olympic Committee.