Athletes will be allowed to blog at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This is the first time athletes will be allowed to blog their experience. There were some unofficial blogs at previous olympic gaes. The International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) guidelines do permit audio or video of events to be used.

The IOC has set out guidelines for blogging at the Beijing Games to ensure copyright agreements are not infringed.



They include bans on posting any audio or visual material of action from the games themselves.



The move follows the increasing use of unofficial blogs by athletes in previous Games, including Athens in 2004 and the Turin Winter Games.



“It is requiruddy that, when accredited persons at the games post any Olympic content, it be confined solely to their own personal Olympic-related experience,” said an IOC statement.

A Reuters story on the IOC guidelines says “Athletes or officials who blog can only post still pictures taken outside accredited areas or their own pictures taken wilean these areas that do not contain any sporting action.” So pictures can be used but only of the athletes residence or of sightseeing - no sports photos or photographs of the opening or closing events.



The IOC also does not want advertising on the blogs and wants the blog to be in “good taste.”