The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is refusing to allow Tibet to field its own athletes at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The IOC says that only countries recognized by the international community and the IOC can compete in the games.
China considers Tibet as part of its territory, and strongly opposes any perceived moves toward independence.
The head of the non-governmental organization Taiwan Friends of Tibet, Chou Mei-li, says that the decision is understandable but regrettable.
“We feel that the real goal of the Olympics is to allow all peoples the opportunity to peacefully participate in the games,” said Chou.
Chou said that supporters of Tibet from around the world are preparing to hold a Tibet human rights torch relay to coincide with the next year’s Olympic torch relay.
Meanwhile, Beijing Olympics officials have posted a message on their web page to explain why Taiwan is allowed to field its own team, while Tibet is not. That’s because, the message says, Taiwan’s team — called Chinese Taipei — was formulated prior to 1996, when the IOC began limiting participation to internationally-recognized countries.
