German Olympians say 'We're all Chinese' in protest

By Erik Kirschbaum

BERLIN (Reuters) - Under the slogan "We are all Chinese", nine German Olympians have posed in their sports kit for a Munich magazine while holding pictures of Chinese dissidents in front of their faces.

The pictures were published on Friday in the Sueddeutsche Zeitung magazine under a headline recalling the famous 1963 "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech by U.S. President John F. Kennedy that paid tribute to West Berlin's freedom after the Wall was built.

Swimmer Petra Dallmann was depicted holding a photograph in front of her face of Hu Jia, who the magazine said has often criticised human rights in China.

"China promised to do more for human rights when it won the right to host the Olympics," Dallmann is quoted saying. "But instead of that, critics such as Hu Jia were condemned to prison sentences beforehand that were designed to intimidate others."

Dallmann added: "I hope the issues aren't forgotten once the Olympic Games are finished."

Water polo player Soeren Mackeben, who earlier this year spoke in favour of the team wearing orange robes as a silent tribute to Tibet, is pictured in his swim suit on the cover of the magazine next to a headline: "The naked truth".

'INCOMPREHENSIBLE INJUSTICE'