Political protests at the Olympics? Why, I never…

What started as a brilliant opportunity for the Communist country to host a coming-out party for the world to see, has quickly turned into a global embarrassment, as China finds itself embroiled in a "life-or-death struggle with the Dalai Lama clique", in the not-so-conciliatory words of Tibet's Communist Party leader, Zhang Qingli.

Amidst all the pro-Tibetan protests, China and the IOC are reminding the world that the Olympic charter "forbids any form of political, religious or racial demonstration". You wouldn't know it from the number of athletes caught in doping scandals, but it also forbids cheating.

The reality is this: for as long as there have been the Olympics (and the eyes of the world on them), political protests, nationalism and controversy have made guest appearances. It's inevitable and unavoidable. It's a downright Olympic tradition!

We speak of the sanctity of the Olympic Games; the ideals of "Faster, Higher, Stronger" and the pursuit of excellence having been weakened by today's crass commercialism and doping scandals. Spare us! Cheating and bribery were so common during the ancient Olympics that statues warning against dishonesty were set up along the road to the stadium.

No political protests allowed? Think again. Take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about the Berlin Games (incidentally, the Olympic torch relay that everyone's following so closely these days? A tradition started by the Nazi organizers), the Cold War boycotts, Munich when protests turned deadly and the Palestinian Black September group got into the Israeli compound and murdered 11 Israeli athletes, the Moscow and Los Angeles boycotts and finally Mexico, when more than 200 students were killed by the government in protests that took place 10 days before the events.

The 1968 Mexico Games were also the time when two black U.S. runners raised their hands in a black power salute from the podium and were subsequently expelled. The history of the Olympic Games is full of such politically charged incidents for the simple reason that the Games can't be removed from life, where politics constantly collide.

While some would like for the Olympics to provide a welcome respite from war, violence and political strife, the fact that the Games provide an instant world-wide podium for a number of important causes is welcomed and encouraged by many.

China may claim that it's preparing to crack down on political protesters, but it looks like the rest of the world is getting ready to crack down on China.