We would like to invite you all to set a simple yet effective example for the spirit of the Olympics – the spirit of peaceful coexistence.

The IOC has repeatedly emphasised that the Olympic Games should not be misused for political goals; we say that this should also apply to the Chinese organisers. However, there is a very real risk that the 2008 Olympics will become a huge advertising campaign for the Chinese government. An advertisement for the People's Republic of China: a country where human rights abuses are a daily occurrence, where the freedom of opinion and freedom of the press are restricted; and where hundreds of thousands of people were forcibly resettled to enable the construction of facilities for the Olympic Games.

Imagine the Olympics have started, but nobody is watching.

We cannot and should not look in the other direction as the uprising in Tibet is being brutally put down, and as the Tibetans themselves are being blamed for the escalation of violence.
However, we can and should look in the other direction when an authoritarian and inhumane regime parades in self-glory: our attention would only lend it credibility.

When the Games begin on August 8 and millions of households are expected to tune in on TV and in the Internet: imagine the Olympics have started, but nobody is watching!

The Olympic boycott will take place. Set an example: simply don't tune in!