They have a list of all the countries participating in the London Olympics along with their athletes and key facts about the country.
Seems the BBC is taking the same stance as the United Nations and will not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In a speech in June 2008, then-presidential-candidate Barack Obama said “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.”
Take a look at some of the countries participating in the Olympics.
Iraq: Capital – Baghdad.
Languages: Arabic, Kurdish.
Iraq at the Olympics: 1948 First Olympic appearance.
Pakistan: Capital – Islamabad.
Languages: English, Punjabi, Urdu.
Pakistan at the Olympics: 1948 First Olympic appearance.
Palestine is recognised as a competing country by the IOC but is not recognised as a modern state. Intended seat of government: East Jerusalem. Ramallah serves as administrative capital.
Palestine at the Olympics: 1996 First Olympic appearance.
Israel Seat of Government: Jerusalem, though most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv.
Barry Davies remembers the tragic terrorist attack on the Munich 1972 Olympic Games in the third of a 10-part series.
At least the BBC is being consistent with the standards set by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organization that allowed Muslim countries to block the “One-Minute of Silence” campaign to honor the 11 murdered Israeli athletes from the 1972 Munich Games. “Games organisers Locog and the IOC may fear provoking a walkout from some Arab countries and are keen to avoid the games being politicised.”
I’m sure all this pandering to the Muslim countries will guarantee that not one terrorist attack will occur at the London Games.
DCG
