Consider this: the United States supports several military regimes around the world – whether directly or indirectly - yet no one boycotted the 1996 Atlanta Games. Who are we speaking to and what are we trying to say? [By "we" I am speaking as an American].

Unrest and despotism have replaced law and order in Burma since the 1962 coup d'etat. While it is never too late to help the citizens of Burma, ulterior motives would bleed through this veil of an Olympic boycott. If the goal is to invoke sanctions on China then nations must remove the veil and address the issue directly.

The Olympics have long served as a stage for political debate, but we mustn't tarnish its legacy as an event for uniting the commonality of human ability and the shared respect for excellence. Athleticism is as much a mode of free expression as is publicity or protest – something Burma should look into.