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Britain's Princess Anne to say no to Beijing Olympics

Britain's Princess Anne intends to use her vote as one of Britain's two International Olympic Committee (IOC) members to stop Beijing from hosting the 2008 games over concern about China's human rights record and the occupation of Tibet, The Observer newspaper reported yesterday.

The paper quoted unnamed sources close to the princess as saying that she intended to cast her vote for Toronto when the IOC's 122 members meet to decide the issue in Moscow on Friday. Paris, Osaka and Istanbul are also in the running to host the games.

The princess has already angered China by refusing to meet members of the Beijing bid committee in Britain or at IOC gatherings abroad. Chinese officials have called her dismissal of their requests for a meeting "rude," the paper said.

While almost all of the IOC's 122 members have met Beijing representatives, the princess has rejected their overtures twice.

The Observer's sources said that the princess would not, under any circumstances, vote for Beijing. The paper said there has been speculation that the princess, an influential member of the IOC, has been influenced by her brother, heir to the throne Prince Charles, who is a strong supporter of the Tibetan cause and a great admirer of the Dalai Lama, the country's exiled leader.

Unlike many other IOC members, the princess is famously independent-minded and prepared to defy the wishes of IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, who is backing Beijing, the paper said.
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