Brown won't go to Olympic opening ceremony but denies talk of boycott

GORDON Brown will not attend the opening ceremony for this summer's Olympic Games in China, it emerged last night, as pressure grew on Beijing over its human rights record.

Downing Street played down suggestions the Prime Minister was boycotting the Games, insisting he had never intended to go to the curtain-raiser.

He will, however, attend the closing ceremony, where he will be part of the official hand-over procession for the London 2012 Games.

George Bush, the US president, yesterday also left open the possibility that he would skip the opening.

Mr Brown was invited personally by Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, to attend the ceremony on his visit to the country earlier this year. His refusal to attend will be interpreted by China as a rebuke.

His decision follows the Chinese government's insistence that it will take the Olympic torch through Tibet, with a vow to crack down on protesters.

Other world leaders, including Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, and Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, have made clear that they will not attend the ceremony.

Mr Brown had previously talked about "Britain" attending the Olympic ceremonies.

Asked two weeks ago at a joint press conference with Mr Sarkozy whether he would attend, he replied: "We will not be boycotting the Olympic Games; Britain will be attending the Olympic Games ceremonies."

The Prime Minister has also made much of the Dalai Lama's view that no-one should boycott the Games. At a press conference earlier this week, Mr Brown said: "I think there is a general view that a boycott of the Olympics would not assist this current situation."

Last night, a spokeswoman for Mr Brown said: "We have never said he was going to the opening ceremony. There is no change in our position."

She added that she did not know why he would not attend.

Nick Clegg, the Lib Dems' leader, who had urged Mr Brown not to attend the ceremony, said: "Too often Gordon Brown does the right thing under pressure, rather than out of conviction. From his reluctance to bring up human rights during his recent visit to China, to his last-minute agreement to meet the Dalai Lama, the Prime Minister has failed to show real leadership on this vital issue.

"He should follow his decision not to attend the opening ceremony by insisting the Chinese quickly enter negotiations with the Dalai Lama and abandon the needlessly provocative plan to parade the torch through Tibet."

Meanwhile, Tibet's governor has insisted the Olympic torch, which has become a magnet for human rights protesters, will be taken through the mountainous region as part of its global relay, with any objectors being "dealt with severely".

Champa Phuntsok, the official appointed by China, made the pledge ahead of last night's San Francisco leg of the relay, which has been blighted by violent skirmishes between police and demonstrators in London and Paris.

Ambulances lined the torch's six-mile route around the San Francisco Bay, while an extra 50 deputies from the sheriff's department were on patrol.

Thousands of people gathered along the relay route, while

pro-Tibet and pro-China groups were given side-by-side permits to demonstrate amid signs of tension.

The torch is set to travel to Argentina, and then to a dozen other countries, before arriving in China on 4 May.

POLLUTION A PROBLEM

THE president of the International Olympic Committee has warned that some events at the Games could be affected by the high levels of pollution in Beijing.

Jacques Rogge, below, spoke out as China tightened up its smoking legislation ahead of this summer's Games. Mr Rogge said the air quality in the Chinese capital could be "problematic" for events lasting more than an hour. He suggested events such as the marathon, road cycling, triathlon, open-water swimming and race walking could be postponed if the effects of the air pollution are exacerbated by the weather.

Last month, the men's marathon world record- holder, Haile Gebrselassie, said he would not be running in the event – although he would take part in the 10,000 metres – because of the pollution.

However, Paula Radcliffe, the women's marathon world record-holder, who suffers from asthma, has said she thinks the air quality will not be the main concern for athletes. Instead, she cited the heat and humidity.