Henin warns against mixing sport and politics
By Darren Ennis
ANTWERP, Belgium (Reuters) - Politics must be kept out of sport at this year's Olympics if the Beijing Games are to be a success, tennis gold medallist Justine Henin said on Tuesday.
The Belgian world number one was responding to media reports that athletes who speak out on politics or human rights in China may not be allowed to take part in the Games.
"Politics and sport must remain separate," Henin told Reuters in an interview at the Antwerp Diamond Games.
"We (athletes) must be focused on our job which is sport, which is our passion. We all hope to bring joy to the people watching the Games and that is what is important. We must bring this passion of sport if it is to be a success."
"I am of course concerned about the politics surrounding the Games, but I am going there to play tennis not play politics," Henin said.
Activists and lawmakers around the world are hoping to capitalise on this year's Olympics by pressuring Beijing on a range of issues, from freedom of religion to Taiwan and Tibet.
One British newspaper reported this month that only Belgium and New Zealand had so far banned their athletes from giving political opinions at the Games.
