China Bars Darfur Activist

Try as hard as they might, the Chinese are sure coming off looking incredibly thin-skinned about any semblance of criticism as the Olympics open.

Instead of promoting openness and tolerance, all they're doing is reinforcing the fact they're a Communist police state that has no interest in freedom of speech.

NBC can play along and pretend what a great place China is, but you just cannot silence every reporter and athlete, who I'm sure will have plenty to say when they get back from the games.

Olympic gold medalist and outspoken Darfur activist Joey Cheek has had his visa revoked by the Chinese embassy, hours before the speedskating champion was set to fly to China. And he wasn't even planning on wearing a mask when he got there.

Chinese officials don't need a reason to revoke anyone's visa but, in their eyes, they had plenty of reasons to snatch Cheek's. He is the founder of Team Darfur, a group of 70 athletes whose goal it is to raise global awareness of the human-rights violations taking part in the Darfur region of Sudan. China's military, economic and diplomatic ties to Sudan have been well-publicized in the lead-up to the Games.

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