An international coalition representing a group of elite athletes is asking IOC president Jacques Rogge to clarify exactly what competitors can and cannot say at the Beijing Olympics.
Team Darfur sent a letter to Rogge asking for "confirmation that the IOC will ensure that athletes at the 2008 Olympics will have the right to express their concerns about grave human rights abuses."
The International Olympic Committee gives athletes freedom of expression, but also says that no demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in Olympic areas.
"Team Darfur seeks clarification on what constitutes demonstrations and propaganda," the group said in a statement.
IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said the IOC had not received the letter as of Wednesday, and also recommended that athletes speak first to their respective national Olympic committees.
"If something is unclear, or the NOCs cannot answer, they can then come back to the IOC, which can provide further guidance," Moreau said from Lausanne, Switzerland.
Last week in Beijing, Rogge sought to reassure athletes that they are free to express their political opinions _ as long as they do so away from official Olympic venues. He also said the IOC would help anyone with questions.
"We seek clarification from you on the practical interpretation of the IOC's rules and as to what measures the IOC is taking to ensure that athletes' right to freedom of expression will be upheld at the games," the group wrote in its letter to Rogge.
"It is apparent that, even after last week's meeting, there is still no consensus. Clear guidance from the IOC is necessary."
The group said it was also sending the letter to Beijing Olympic organizers.
Team Darfur, which is made up of almost 300 athletes, is dedicated to bringing an end to the trouble in Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed in that region of Sudan, according to U.N. figures. China yields a large amount of power in the region.
American speedskating gold medalist Joey Cheek, a Team Darfur co-founder, said the group's athletes respect the Olympic movement and want their voices to lead the way to change.
"Team Darfur hopes to receive confirmation from the International Olympic Committee that athletes will not be punished for drawing attention to what has been called the world's worst humanitarian crisis," Cheek said in the group's statement.
Hollywood director Steven Spielberg withdrew as an artistic adviser to the opening and closing ceremonies in February because of the situation in Darfur. Since then, much of the criticism regarding China has focused on the country's role in Tibet.
In France, athletes are proposing they wear a badge emblazoned with the Olympic rings, the word "France," and the slogan "For a Better World." German athletes have started a drive to wear wrist bands with the inscription "Sports for Human Rights."
