NBA boss against Olympic boycott

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2008

NEW YORK (AFP) — National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern said Thursday that he supports free expression for controversial matters and is no supporter of Olympic boycotts.

Boycotts for August's Beijing Olympics have been mentioned by some European leaders given Chinese military actions in Tibet that have resulted in deaths.

But Stern noted with disdain the US-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the Soviet Union-led boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, the largest walkouts in Games history.

"Obviously we think that boycotts (accomplish nothing). The previous two Olympic boycotts did not succeed at anything except punishing athletes," Stern said.

NBA players, including China's Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian, will play in the...