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Beijing protest dampens plan for 2012 torch relay
Matthew Beard and Paul Waugh27 Mar 2008
The Olympic torch relay could be scaled down for the London Olympics amid concerns that it has become a magnet for protesters.
Members of the International Olympic Committee are expected to demand that the extravaganza seen this year to launch the Beijing Games is replaced with a much more modest curtain-raiser in four years' time.
They fear that the anti-China protests at the start of the relay in Greece this week will be followed by worse disruption on the torch's four-month journey around the world which includes a stopover in London on 6 April.
The news comes as Ken Livingstone and Boris Johnson both told the Evening Standard today that they support the rights of Free Tibet demonstrators to protest in London while the torch is on its way through.
But IOC sources have told the Standard-they, and president Jacques Rogge, fear it is now in danger of damaging the reputation of the Olympic movement.
They fear a grand event before London could be hijacked by other political activists including anti-war protesters.
The Olympic flame for Beijing will be carried 85,000 miles by 21,880 torchbearers through 135 cities..
While there is no suggestion the tradition of taking the flame from the birthplace of the Games in Mount Olympus to the host city will be abandonedthe proposal would be to keep the route largely within the host country.
Such ideas are expected to be raised at the IOC's general assembly before the Beijing Games and they would need to be approved by the IOC's executive board after the Games.
One IOC member said: "We don't know how it is going to pan out this year but it looks like the torch will be used as a symbol of protest. If you keep it within the country hosting the Games then it limits the opportunities and risks." The source added that the relay could become a "nightmare" for sponsors Coca Cola, Samsung and Lenovo.
But the Mayor and Mr Johnson today made clear that demonstrators should be free to protest about China's foreign policy record.
Mr Livingstone said: "I have a long record of supporting Tibet and I have met the Dalai Lama several times. I strongly defend the right to peaceful protest at the torch relay and applications to hold such protests have already been agreed."
Mr Johnson said: "If people feel they want to protest peacefully I support their right to do it.
"Freedom of Speech is a fundamental right we should always defend."
