China Had Careful Watch On 10 Americans Prior To Beijing Games

Finch Among U.S. Athletes  Chinese Government Eyed

China's government was "so concerned about the possibility of athlete demonstrations in the Beijing Olympics that it created a list of nine U.S. athletes and one assistant coach it thought might cause trouble at the Games," according to an internal USOC e-mail cited by Christine Brennan in a front-page piece for USA TODAY. Included on the list were "two Paralympians, one athlete who wasn't a member of the 2008 softball team and a top female collegiate golfer." USOC Chief Communications Officer Darryl Seibel in an e-mail said, "We rejected the request to address this with our athletes. We saw absolutely no need to burden the athletes with this." The list was "given to USOC officials in a July 8 meeting by Shu Xiao," Minister Counselor for Cultural Affairs at the Chinese Embassy in DC. Seibel said the USOC "communicated to the embassy in clear terms that our athletes would have the same right to free speech and free expression, consistent with what is set forth in the Olympic Charter, that they have enjoyed at previous Games" (USA TODAY, 10/30). USA TODAY's Brennan reports the Chinese "appeared to be preoccupied with athletes who were members of Team Darfur, a group committed to raising awareness about the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region." In the USOC e-mail, a Chinese official told the organization China had received information "regarding the intention of certain members of the U.S. Olympic team to stage some sort of demonstration at the Games, perhaps displaying banners or wearing apparel or wrist bands bearing political slogans." The following chart lists the 10 Americans whose names appeared in the e-mail (USA TODAY, 10/30).

Softball OF Jessica Mendoza

Softball P Jennie Finch

Softball SS Natasha Watley

Softball P Amanda Freed

Softball assistant coach Karen Johns

Golfer Laura Goodwin

Soccer F Abby Wambach

Cyclist Jonathan Page

Paralympic Basketball player Jen Howitt

Paralympic Wheelchair Racer Cheri Blauwet