And the British Olympic Association unwittingly caused a public relations storm for China when it sought to have its athletes agree to a gag order preventing them from speaking out against Chinese policies.
The association backed down last week after an uproar in the British press, but not before the story served to again cast world attention on alleged human rights abuses and other controversial policies of the government in Beijing.
The Chinese government has admitted the pressure from protest groups are souring Olympic preparations.
China was "facing accusations from all over the world" that could cause "problems for the organization and planning" of the Olympics, the People's Daily, mouthpiece of the CCP, said recently.
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