IOC Admits Deal with China to Censor Internet

A senior IOC official admitted on Wednesday that some International Olympic Committee officials cut a deal to let China block sensitive websites, despite promising unfiltered access, Reuters is reporting.

Originally, China had committed to providing media with the same reporting freedom as they were used to at previous Olympics, the report. But journalists have this week complained of “finding access to sites deemed sensitive to its communist leadership blocked.”

“I regret that it now appears BOCOG has announced that there will be limitations on website access during Games time,” IOC press chief Kevan Gosper said, referring to Beijing’s Olympic organizers, in the article.

For their part, Beijing organizers said censorship would not stop journalists doing their jobs in reporting the Games, the article said—although we’re not quite sure how that would work.

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