When thousands of athletes from 42 countries meet at the Pan American Games in Brazil in July this year, athletes will be forbidden to update their blogs or websites during the competition. There will also be restrictions on broadcast of live images on the Internet.
According to the Brazilian newspaper O Dia, all sports federations in Brazil have received an official letter signed by Carlos Arthur Nuzman, the president of the organising committee for Rio 2007. In the letter the federations are told that “no athlete and/or officer of the Brazilian delegation of the XV Pan American Games can act as a reporter, produce text or research for publishing purposes, or report periodically or daily for online-sites on the web during the games.”
The above rules apply to all athletes attending the Pan American Games.
Despite the recognition given to the Internet “as an important media for communication and promotion of sports”, CO-Rio is imposing strong restrictions.
Let’s see what else is happening in Rio on the Internet ?
Nine killed in Rio slum shoot-out
Sergio Cabral says serving police officers must be loyal to the force Nine people have been shot dead in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, in a continuing struggle for control of the city’s “favelas” or shantytowns.
In recent months some favelas have been taken over by militias – consisting of retired and off-duty police officers.
They offer to rid communities of drug gangs in return for protection money.
Source: Article Here BBC
Rio hit by deadly gang violence
Gang attacks on buses and police stations in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro have left at least 18 people dead, officials say.
In one incident, seven passengers were burnt to death when gunmen attacked their bus and torched it.
At least 12 police stations and posts in different parts of Rio were attacked with grenades and automatic fire. Four buses were set on fire, and gunmen are reported to have stopped emergency workers from getting close to the scene.
Source: Article Here BBC
Ok now back to the 2007 Pan American Games. – No Internet News Please
The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) and the Organizing Committee of the XV Pan American Games Rio 2007 (CO-Rio) have gone to great lengths to ensure an athlete doesn’t post on their website “I hit all my routines today thanks for everyones support”
The restrictive rules were set in order to please TV networks — the major sponsors of the event. But even among business-minded sponsors the prohibition is being seen as an overreaction which can cause more harm than good to their image.
Blogs and the internet are a means for an athlete to keep in contact with people interested in the sport, and also with supporters. The Internet is “an important media for communication and promotion of sports.” The Pan American games have lost status and have not received much attention in the sporting press as of late in the United States and Canada. These new restrictive rules will do nothing to change that fact.
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You have got to be kidding me. It amazes me that government officials are so frightened about information.
It’s not about information but $$$
Revenues from broadcasting and new media rights for the 2010 and 2012 Olympics have already risen nearly 40 percent from the previous two-Games package, which includes the Beijing Olympics, and will be in excess of $3.0 billion.
The IOC estimates some 15 percent of that will come from new media including the internet and mobile phones.