Lord Coe writes off 'futile' boycott of Beijing Olympics

SEBASTIAN Coe has been dismayed at suggestions of a possible boycott of the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Street protests in London and Paris this week at the Chinese government's policy on Tibet have marred the Olympic torch-carrying. But Lord Coe believes this year's host nation still have a right to stage the Olympics and only the athletes would suffer from a boycott.

"Is it right for the games to be in China?" said Coe. "Absolutely it is right for the games to be in China." The United States led a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics over the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The Soviets retaliated with their own boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Games. Coe won the gold medal in the 1,500 metres at both of those Olympics.

"I don't think anybody frankly of any credibility is calling for a boycott," he said. "I'd like to think anybody that has even contemplated that just has a cursory glance at history to see how futile they are."

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