China eases restricted internet for Olympic journalists

Updated August 1, 2008 14:53:04

Journalists in the Main Press Centre in China have found they can now access sites which were earlier blocked. [AFP]

China appears to have partially eased internet restrictions for journalists at the Beijing Olympics.

The ABC's John Taylor reports from Beijing there's been international outrage since it was revealed that China was not going to allow uncensored internet access during the Olympic Games as it had promised and the International Olympic Committee had repeatedly assured.

Now it seems that Chinese authorities have partially given in to public pressure.

Journalists working at the Games' Main Press Centre can now access sites that were blocked.

They include Amnesty International and the BBC's Chinese language news homepage.

However, tests indicate the sites remain blocked to people using China's "public" internet.

Australian reaction

The head of Australia's Olympic team says the issue of internet censorship for journalists covering the Beijing games has been damaging for the head of the International Olympics Committee's Press Commission.

Olympic officials originally assured journalists there would be no censorship, but senior IOC officials have now admitted they knew all along that China would not stop blocking internet sites during the Games.

The AOC president John Coates says he's confused by the conflicting statements from the IOC.

The head of the IOC's press commission, Kevan Gosper, says the issue has damaged his reputation and Mr Coates agrees.

"He clearly at some stage has been under the impression, and you showed me the bit of paper saying there would be restrictions," he said.

"He didn't know that, he's apologised. Others in the IOC say there are no restrictions. So we'll see. I'm finding it a little confusing."