Letters to the Editor
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Who is punished?
If enough spectators chose to boycott the Olympics, it could be a moderate financial blow to the Chinese.
If enough countries chose to boycott the Olympics, it could be a minor short-term embarrassment for the Chinese.
But the people who would be punished the worst would be the athletes. Some of these young men and women will not get another chance to go to the Olympics. It would be a heartbreak that would last a lifetime to many of them.
Remember when we boycotted in 1980? The scramble for athletes to get citizenship in other countries, so they would get a chance to compete? Do we really want to punish the athletes again?
One of the things King points out over and over is how NCAA sanctions punish the athletes more than the coach or the institution. And those athletes aren't, as a rule, having their only chance eliminated by circumstances beyond their control. I, for one, would prefer to avoid that.
Yes, China has horrible pollution and a horrible human rights record. But the time to address this issue was during selection, not less than six months out from the games. Don't make the athletes pay the biggest penalty for a decision made seven years ago. Let them compete.