Should MotGP riders protest in Shanghai

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MotoGP protest over Tibet

  • Yes

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Undecided

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Only if Stoner is the favourite.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    0
I

Iconoclast

Joined
Mar 26, 2008
Messages
18
Location
Ottawa, Canada
There is apparently some discussion amongst MotoGP riders about the possibility of some form of protest at the Shanghai race in May. Opinions? I have followed events in Tibet for years but truly wonder about the general consensus in the MotoGP community on such matters.


Reuters Article
 
What's the last box supposed to mean?
How about another box - only "........" posters tick this box.
 
oh ..... no fair my vote didn't count!!

I voted the Stoner favourite thing because the Dali Lahrma is a Stoner fan!!

<
<
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Oh and

Free Tibet ............ if they can handle it ....
 
At least you got rid of the last box. ?? It's back again - dunno what happened there. What are you trying to say with the Stoner choice?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Iconoclast @ Apr 12 2008, 12:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>There is apparently some discussion amongst MotoGP riders about the possibility of some form of protest at the Shanghai race in May. Opinions? I have followed events in Tibet for years but truly wonder about the general consensus in the MotoGP community on such matters.

LINK
Fixed your link for you
<


Maybe they'll all wear De Angelis style helmets as indeed Rossi did to "protest" about Iraq a few years ago.
 
If they want to then yes. I really can't see any teams letting their riders make a protest at all. They may talk about it, but in the end I don't think it's going to happen. Then again, if China isn't going to be on the calender in the foreseeable future maybe a few will try it. China is a huge untapped market though, and I think they will want to get a GP back there sooner rather than later - so they wouldn't want to piss off the Chinese.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yamaka46 @ Apr 11 2008, 07:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Fixed your link for you
<


Thanks, Yamaka. I'm still getting used to this software. And sorry to Barry, but I thought a joke about Stoner from an obvious Stoner fan would get by . . . .
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 12 2008, 01:29 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>If they want to then yes. I really can't see any teams letting their riders make a protest at all.

Depends what you call a protest. They would be allowed to wear a different helmet design or something relatively small like that. Boycotting the race (for example) would casuse bigger problems with sponsorship and things to worry about.
 
Any protest will likely be more symbolic than disruptive of the event. Still, I can't imagine this class of individuals turning a blind eye to so much suffering.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Son of Doohan @ Apr 11 2008, 07:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>At least you got rid of the last box. ?? It's back again - dunno what happened there. What are you trying to say with the Stoner choice?

Only added for humour, really, and to keep the poll informal. Could as easily have used Hayden, but that wouldn't have made sense, would it? Oh no, there I go digging a deeper hole . . . .
<
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Iconoclast @ Apr 12 2008, 01:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>Only added for humour, really, and to keep the poll informal. Could as easily have used Hayden, but that wouldn't have made sense, would it? Oh no, there I go digging a deeper hole . . . .
<



No, but if everyone else boycotts, Hayden might just get a win, Hopper may even get on a podium!!!!!!


Sorry, the second part was too far fetched, dunno what came over me.

Pete
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (basspete @ Apr 12 2008, 12:46 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>No, but if everyone else boycotts, Hayden might just get a win, Hopper may even get on a podium!!!!!!


Sorry, the second part was too far fetched, dunno what came over me.

Pete
<
 
If they feel that strongly about it then boycott the event.
Hmmm guess they don't feel that strongly about it after all then huh?

Ride the bikes, entertain the fans and let the politicians handle the other stuff.
 
I do think they should protest by having different helmets or get Amnesty International badges all over them.

Having been to China, and with what I know of China though, the problem is that most local (Han) Chinese won't understand why they are protesting. Same way they don't understand the current Olympic Torch protests. They don't have the news sources that we do and come from a very different culture, believing that they are actually bringing enlightment and prosperity to Tibet and that the West is once again out to suppress the Chinese empire.

I personally think that with KFC, Pizza Hut and the Golden Arches at every corner the West will pretty much succeed in doing so though. Simply by obisity and cardiac arrest.
 
Let the politicians handle it....I can't stand hearing or seeing celebs "take up the cause" just to get face time or whatever. If they want to protest it, let them do so....now...not at the race. If they only do it at the race, it is just a media ploy and nothing more.

What does KFC, Pizza Hut and McD's have to do with the "west once again out to suppress the Chinese empire"?
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Frizzle @ Apr 12 2008, 12:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>If they feel that strongly about it then boycott the event.
Hmmm guess they don't feel that strongly about it after all then huh?
I agree. Stupid thing is its not like China just started shitting on Tibet last week. Now all of a sudden its a problem? This especially pisses me off when politicians are threatening to pull national athletes from the Olympics, WTF. Did China get awarded the ....... Olympics yesterday? No only 8 years ago and they get their balls in a bunch the year of the games after the athletes have slaved their guts out to be told by some armchair sportsman that they can't compete. If a rider or athlete wants to protest or boycott, fine, but it should definitely be their decision.

rant over.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ Apr 12 2008, 06:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree. Stupid thing is its not like China just started shitting on Tibet last week. Now all of a sudden its a problem? This especially pisses me off when politicians are threatening to pull national athletes from the Olympics, WTF. Did China get awarded the ....... Olympics yesterday? No only 8 years ago and they get their balls in a bunch the year of the games after the athletes have slaved their guts out to be told by some armchair sportsman that they can't compete. If a rider or athlete wants to protest or boycott, fine, but it should definitely be their decision.

rant over.

And a fine rant it was. Agree entirely.
 
Sports are not outside the world, so it is natural that politics may affect it.
The protest of the American black athletes at Mexico 1968, the American boycott of USSR Olympic games in 1980, the Davies Cup boycott against Chile, are all famous examples.

In motorsports, I remember Schwantz wearing a Desert Storm helmet in 1991 - now, that was not exactly a pacifist espression but it was definitely world politics entering the GP track. So was the opposite pacifist helmet worn by Rossi in 2003.

So something of that kind could be used, why not, if any riders feel like it they may wear a particular helmet to gently remind the Chinese that the world is watching them, and not only for business opportunities. Or the winner might perhaps do something special in way of celebration. I do not see Dorna or FIM taking any official position on this issue.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (vale4607 @ Apr 12 2008, 09:55 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><div class='quotemain'>I agree. Stupid thing is its not like China just started shitting on Tibet last week. Now all of a sudden its a problem? This especially pisses me off when politicians are threatening to pull national athletes from the Olympics, WTF. Did China get awarded the ....... Olympics yesterday? No only 8 years ago and they get their balls in a bunch the year of the games after the athletes have slaved their guts out to be told by some armchair sportsman that they can't compete. If a rider or athlete wants to protest or boycott, fine, but it should definitely be their decision.

rant over.

I totally agree
 

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