Tuesday, 18 March 2008:
Double Olympic gold medallist Mark Todd has won praise after saying he may protest against China's crackdown in Tibet if he is selected for the Beijing Games.
The 51-year-old New Zealander, who has won a host of Olympic medals since 1984 in equestrian events, told The Press newspaper that recent events in Tibet had left him uneasy and he would consider protesting in China.
"I think you could probably do more while you were there in a peaceful sort of protest," he told the paper.
"I think athletes in general would be obliged to do something like that," he said.
Todd is yet to be selected for the New Zealand 2008 Olympic team.
New Zealand Green Party MP Keith Locke praised Todd for the stance.
"I hope that Mark Todd is selected onto the Olympic team and makes his dignified protest when he is in Beijing. It's fantastic," Locke said.
A bloody crackdown during the past week on Tibetans protesting against Chinese rule has sparked a chorus of disapproval from around the world.
Protesters on Sunday said the death toll was 80, although China said it had not used lethal force but 13 innocent civilians died during rioting.
Thuten Kesang from the Friends of Tibet in New Zealand said Todd's comments were "wonderful".
"We need more people such as Mark to take a moral stand. I think it is time. It is really courageous and Tibetans are very grateful," Kesang said.
The team's chef de mission Dave Currie said it would be better for athletes to refrain from making political comment.
"The IOC has a view, which we subscribe to, that it is not an appropriate forum to be making comment about race, religion, creed or political stances whatsoever," Currie reportedly said.
A New Zealand Olympic Committee spokeswoman said it was improper to immediately comment on Todd's views as he was yet to be named in the team.
"The New Zealand Olympic Committee is about providing a high performance and inspirational environment for Beijing. That is our focus," she said.
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