IOC considering lifting ban on Athlete Blogs
The International Olympic Committee is considering lifting its previous blanket ban on athletes blogging, now considering blogs as a “grey area” that warrant further review.
Athletes have previously been banned from blogging under a rule in the Olympic charter which forbids them from partaking in journalism whilst competing at the Olympics, a rule which previously gained attention after the Japanese Olympic Committee forbid its athletes from blogging during the 2006 Turin Winter Olympics.
The SMH reports that IOC Athletes Commission Chairman Sergei Bubka has stated that “In principle, the commission is not against [blogging], but it’s quite a delicate issue that we decided to investigate a little bit more”.
Bubka went on to say that although blogging is a modern way for people to express their opinions, he didn’t believe that athletes should be able to blog without “certain rules”, and that blogs raised questions of privacy and potential conflicts with media and television rights….getting to the real heart of the matter, it’s really about the money.
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It is interesting that this is becoming an issue now. During the Athens Games, I blogged daily from within the village, photos, insider stories, etc. Got me some great traffic for it.
Maybe even spent too much time blogging and not enough sleeping and resting. I was never told by anyone that it was “illegal.” I specifically asked the question knowing the charter, and ironically no one cared. Simply told me, go for it, but don’t flaunt it.
By Timed Finals on February 7, 2007 8:55 pm