[Congressional Bills 110th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Con. Res. 170 Introduced in House (IH)] 110th CONGRESS 1st Session H. CON. RES. 170 Expressing the sense of Congress that the International Olympic Committee should allow Taiwan (Republic of China) to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics under the national name, flag, and anthem of its own choosing. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES June 15, 2007 Mr. Tancredo (for himself, Mr. Chabot, Mr. Burton of Indiana, and Mr. McCotter) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs _______________________________________________________________________ CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of Congress that the International Olympic Committee should allow Taiwan (Republic of China) to participate in the 2008 Summer Olympics under the national name, flag, and anthem of its own choosing. Whereas according to the Olympic Charter, ``Every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.''; Whereas the Olympic Charter states that ``Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.''; Whereas the Olympic Charter further states that the role of the International Olympic Committee is, among other things ``to oppose any political or commercial abuse of sport and athletes''; Whereas the International Olympic Committee unfairly pressured Taiwan (Republic of China) to abandon its national name as a condition for participating in the games because of political pressure from the People's Republic of China; Whereas the display of Taiwan's national flag and the playing of its national anthem are prohibited even when athletes from Taiwan win medals; Whereas Taiwan's athletes, like athletes from all participating countries, have exhibited years of hard work, dedication, and disciplined training for the right to proudly represent their country in the Olympic Games; and Whereas athletes from Taiwan are unfairly required to compete under the name ``Chinese Taipei'', in order to perpetuate the fiction that Taiwan is a part of the People's Republic of China even though Taiwan has never been under the control of the People's Republic of China for a single day: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that-- (1) discriminatory treatment of Taiwan (Republic of China) by the International Olympic Committee is unfair, inappropriate, and contradicts the spirit of both the Olympic Charter and the Olympic Movement; and (2) the International Olympic Committee should live up to the ideals of the Olympic Charter and allow Taiwan to compete under the national name, flag, and anthem of its own choosing. <all>