Responding to China's recent crackdown of pro-Tibet demonstrations, human rights organisations and Tibetans worldwide have called for a boycott of the Beijing Olympic Games scheduled for August this year.
Singapore has joined others like the US, European Union and Australia in rejecting the idea. Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, said: "Singapore is a firm believer in the Olympic values of excellence, friendship, and respect. The Games will provide a golden opportunity for athletes from all over the world to compete on a friendly basis, interact with each other, and carry out fruitful dialogue and build lasting relationships. A boycott will mean many missed opportunities for better cross-border and inter-cultural understanding. It will also be a great disappointment for all the athletes who have trained so hard to fulfill their dreams of competing in the Olympics. I believe it is vital to keep sporting competitions and politics separate. We must not let politics obstruct the celebration of sports and all that it stands for."
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