How far can athletes go if they plan Olympic protests?
DPA Hamburg, March 27 (DPA) Olympic officials appear unsure about what will happen to athletes who stage protests against host country China during the Beijing Games in August. The Olympic Charter outlaws any kind of political statements in Olympic areas, but it is not fully clear whether a winner who decides to wear a “Free Tibet” T-shirt at the medal ceremony will be stripped of the gold. Neither Swedish IOC vice-president Gunilla Lindberg of Sweden nor veteran German IOC member Walter Troeger were able to clear up the issue when asked Wednesday. China’s crackdown on protests in Tibet and its human rights situation in general may have so far not led to a full boycott threat, but athletes appear ready to speak and act over the issue during the Aug 8-24 Games. German pole vaulter Anna Battke said she was ready to stage a protest during the opening ceremony and hoped for others to join in. Another German vaulter, Danny Ecker, suggested that athletes could wear armbands to protest the Ch
