Posted on 08/28/2004 5:16:27 PM PDT by Hildy
America's biggest Olympic hero yesterday accused George Bush of exploiting the Athens Games for his own political advantage in the run-up to the presidential election. Carl Lewis, who won nine Olympic gold medals in athletics in a record-breaking career, condemned Bush for using the presence of Iraqi and Afghan teams in Athens in a television advertisement to boost his chances of re-election.
Criticising Bush for linking his foreign policy with the two countries being allowed to compete here, Lewis said: 'I felt that was disingenuous. It is funny that we boycotted the 1980 Games [in Moscow] in support of Afghanistan, and now we're bombing Afghanistan,' he told the Athens News yesterday.
'Of course, we've invaded Iraq and are in there and are using it for political gain. It bewilders me, and I understand why the Iraqi players are offended.
'To support the players or the community is fine, but for political gain I disagree.'
Iraq's footballers, who unexpectedly reached the semi-finals here, made clear last week they disliked the advertisement and regarded American soldiers in Iraq as occupiers rather than liberators. Bush was planning to visit the Greek capital and attend yesterday's football final if Iraq had been involved, but they lost in the semi-finals last week. He was also criti cised for misusing without permission Olympic symbols, which are protected emblems.
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Gee, Carl, which President boycotted the 1980 Olympic Games? |
Quick...name the year, the president and his political party.
Bonus Question, Carl: Name one thing that president did to stop the Soviet Union's aggressions against Afghanistan.
We're waiting.
Carl's a poofter? I did not know that!
He certainly has the mannerisms.
Carl Lewis is yesterday's news...AND a fruit cake.
Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves for political reasons Carl. So what's your point?
!!! JESSE OWENS !!!
You are correct. they are both disco dancin',Barbara Striesand ticket holding,Oscar Wilde reading, Friends of dorthy.
Guess he wants the Taliban back & Al-Qaeda running the show. His
complaint of, "we're bombing
Afghanistan", really clinched it.
Yep.
Dumb as a rock.
Carl's "poofiness" is common knowledge in the track and field community.
I'm glad Carl Lewis wasn't put on the 1996 4x100 relay team just so he could set a record for the most gold medals. The track coaches let a younger team mate get a chance for a gold medal. Lewis shows he has no class and is in it just for himself.
Yet certain people found it in themselves to make a protest over Colin Powell visiting, and demonstrations took place and he changed his plans.
Seems everyone else is allowed to politicize the olympics except the US or its athletes, who are supposed to be quiet and not draw attention to themselves.
Did he lose one of his medals because of drugs? Someone was telling me that and I thought they had him mistaken with someone else.
he's gay, they would stone him I think.
You're a funny guy.
I'd like to thank Carl Lewis for being the first athlete in history to defend the gutless, cowardly, non-sensical boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow.
This boycott led to the equally gutless, cowardly, non-sensical boycott of the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, which allowed him to 'duplicate' Jesse Owens feat of 4 track and field golds at a single Olympics. Too bad his feat was against a dilluted competitive field.
If only we had boycotted the Olympics in 1936, WWII would have never happened. (sarcasm/off)
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