Sports should not be mixed up with politics, and the Olympic Games is definitely not a stage for politicians, said a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on Sunday, amid international concerns over a politicized Olympiad in Beijing.
"Though politics is an essential part of any society or country, it should not be a part of the Olympics. We will be there in the Olympic arena for fair play and for sharing the Olympic spirits," Dr. Kipchoge Keino, IOC member and also Chairman of Kenya National Olympic Committee, told Xinhua in an exclusive interview.
Kenya, world-class powerhouse for long distance runners, has been concentrating on the preparation for the upcoming Beijing Olympics, despite the post-election unrest.
"We now have nearly 60 athletes who have already gained the qualification to attend the Olympics. They have been training hard for the past four years, aiming at better performance in Beijing," he added, "we clearly don't intend to choose any athlete that has a political, not sports-oriented, purpose at the Olympiad."
Every country or region is allowed to send up to three athletes to participate in any of the athletics competitions at the Olympic Games. As one of the strongest African countries in sports world, Kenya simply has a wide range of choice.
"The Olympiad is one of the greatest achievements for human beings. We are supposed to get united in the name of Olympic spirit and sportsmanship. Therefore, we neither support, nor intend to get involved in the current political movements towards the Beijing Olympics," the former Olympic gold medalist stressed.
Politics has recently stolen the spotlight of Beijing 2008 Olympics, when Hollywood director Steven Spielberg on Feb. 12 quitted as an artistic advisor to the Beijing Olympics opening and closing ceremonies, because he claimed that China was not doing enough to pressure Sudan to end the conflict in Darfur.
In response, IOC President Jacques Rogge told media that "the IOC is a sporting, not a political, association. One should not call on the IOC to solve the world's problems."