Give up a childhood dream so as not to appear, hypocritical smile on your lips, alongside soldiers with blood on their hands. In a long letter published on the networks in mid-April, and which has taken on particular importance in recent days after being relayed by several English-speaking media, the Burmese swimmer Win Htet Oo explains that he decided not to participate in the Tokyo Olympics this been to denounce the abuses of the ruling junta in his country.
Exiled in Melbourne in Australia since 2017, where he was looking for better structures to improve his swimming and thus be able to fulfill his Olympic dream, the 26-year-old athlete saw from a distance last February 1 his country sink again into a military dictatorship. The following weeks, on social networks, in the media and by the testimonies of relatives on the spot, he was shocked by the numerous abuses perpetrated by the junta which, after being relatively tolerant of the demonstrators, ended up repressing any opposition by shooting crowds with live ammunition. According to the count of the Association for Assistance to Political Prisoners (AAPP), more than 750 Burmese have been killed by the military since the coup.
“Blood of my people”
Worn out by these images which are repeated day after day, and a death counter which continues to grow, Win Htet Oo therefore ends up posting on Facebook on April 10 a letter addressed to his friends, his family, and “Curious subscribers”. He explains that he decided “To say goodbye to the dream” who has animated him since he learned to swim: “I cannot march in the parade of nations under a flag dripping with the blood of my people.” His own way of participating in the civil disobedience movement which continues despite the repression.
The young man does not have strong enough words to denounce the coup, and was offended to learn that the Burmese Olympic Committee (MOC), which he accuses of being “a puppet” at the orders of Mig Aung Hlaing – the military head of the country -, was going to present a delegation for the Tokyo Olympics. He explains that he addressed the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in charge of organizing the event, to ask that the Burmese junta not be able to take this opportunity to restore its image, calling for a courageous decision to be taken by not allowing Burmese athletes close to power to participate.
Win Htet Oo also implored the IOC to offer him the opportunity to compete as a” Independent Olympic athlete ‘ as reported by AFP who was able to reach the swimmer, but his request was refused. The organization said that to its knowledge Win Htet Oo had not yet been selected by the Burma team. Holder of national records in 50 meters, 100 meters and 200 meters freestyle – which still remain far from the best world times over these distances – the swimmer seemed on paper to have every chance of participating in the Olympics. He had also, during the Asian Games in 2019, where he represented Burma, achieved the minimum required to go to Tokyo.
The discreet IOC on the subject
“To accept the MOC as an organization dealing with the Olympic movement in Myanmar is to recognize the legitimacy of a murderous regime”, he continues in his letter to the IOC, recalling that the organization continues to promulgate values such as the “Joy of effort”, “Universal respect for ethical principles” and “Education”. “How do these ideals apply to a regime that sees its own people as an enemy? Isn’t the fact that the MOC is associated with murderers from the military junta enough for the IOC to react? “
The Committee has not yet taken a public position on the subject, but is not the type to get wet when it comes to human rights and politics, having seen no problem , in recent years, to award Games to countries with little democracy. Last week, the IOC also confirmed that athletes will be banned from protesting on the podiums and sports grounds of the Olympic Games this summer, while leaving a space “To integrate messages on inclusion and non-discrimination” during the opening and closing ceremonies of the Games.
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