The international sports community has said it will slam any attempts to block Beijing's bid for its first Olympic Games, and German International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Walther Troger stated that Beijing will be treated as fairly as any other bidding city.

Troger's remarks followed the submission of a resolution opposing Beijing's bid for the 2008 Olympic Games, citing human rights excuses, by a US bipartisan group of 41 members of the House of Representatives.

Troger said China has the right to be included into the Olympic Movement if the IOC truly wants the movement to reach every person in the world.

He said it is unreasonable to invite athletes from all over the world and yet deny some countries from hosting the Olympics.

China's foreign ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said last Thursday that the move by the US legislators showed a blatant contempt of and challenge to Olympic principles.

"This farce will, inevitably, be spurned by everybody in the sports community who upholds justice," he said.

Beijing's bid committee has repeatedly called for a separation of politics from sports.

"We have so many people who are eager for China to host its first Olympics, we should respect their choices and hopes," said Liu Jingmin, vice-president of the bid committee. "It is an aspiration of China's 1.2 billion people."

The IOC will vote for the venue of the 2008 Games on July 13 during its Moscow session. The same meeting will also decide on who will replace the retiring IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Belgian Jacques Rogge who on Monday announced his candidacy for IOC president, said the current discussion among IOC members is still centered on who will take over Samaranch's post.

But he believes the debate over who will play host to the 2008 Games will grow hotter as the IOC Evaluation Commission completes its inspection of candidate cities and hands over its reports to the IOC.

The commission is now touring Paris, the last of the five candidates to be visited.

(People's Daily 03/29)