What a timing: IOC puts pressure on internet access

Image from WikipediaI tend to look rather critical at any conspiracy theory, especially when I develop them myself. But today I have one that does not want to go away. Today the IOC, typically acting like meek sheep in trying not to spoil their August party in Beijing, suddenly talked tough to the organizers of the Beijing Olympics, as Reuters reports here.

"Even this morning, we discussed and insisted again .... that the Internet is open at all times during Games time," IOC coordination commission vice chairman Kevan Gosper told reporters. "There was some criticism that the Internet closed down during events relating to Tibet in previous weeks, but this is not Games time.

What a timing: only hours after some major url-blocks had been removed and weeks after it became clear the old filtering systems for the internet were being replaced by more sophisticated censorship. In terms of timing, this act by the IOC looks like a poorly executed PR-stunt to show they are not accepting everything Beijing does.