BEIJING (AFP) — The United States complained on Wednesday after a former US sporting champion and high-profile critic of China's role in violence-plagued Darfur was denied entry into the nation ahead of the Olympics.
Joey Cheek, a US Winter Olympics gold medallist and campaigner for an end to violence in Darfur, had his visa to enter China revoked 24 hours before leaving for Beijing, according to activist group Team Darfur, which he helped set up.
"The Chinese embassy in Washington DC revoked the visa of Olympic gold medallist and Team Darfur co-founder Joey Cheek to travel to Beijing for the Olympic Games," activist group Team Darfur said in an emailed statement.
Cheek, a speedskater, was to go to Beijing to support those who signed onto Team Darfur, a coalition of current and former athletes who are seeking to use the Olympics to pressure China over its alliance with Sudan's government.
China is one of the main buyers of the African nation's oil and a key investor in its economy. Rights groups have accused Beijing of not doing enough to try and resolve the conflict in Sudan's western Darfur region.
The conflict began in 2003 when ethnic minority rebels took up arms against the Arab-dominated regime and state-backed militias.
The United Nations has said that 300,000 people have died in Darfur and more than 2.2 million have been displaced since 2003.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino hit out at China's decision to revoke Cheek's visa.
"We were disturbed to learn that the Chinese had refused his visa," said Perino as she travelled in Asia with President George W. Bush, who will be in Beijing for the start of the Olympic Games on Friday.
"We are taking the matter very seriously. We have sent in our embassy in Beijing to demarche the Chinese. That is where we're going to say we are concerned about this and want you to reconsider the actions.
"We hope they change their minds."
China refused to comment specifically on the Cheek case but emphasised that visas were a matter of state sovereignty and it had based its decision on who to allow into the country for the Olympics on security issues.
"The aim is to provide an appropriate and safe viewing of competitions and competitive environment for those watching and participating in the Games," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Cheek said he was saddened by the decision.
"The denial of my visa is a part of a systemic effort by the Chinese government to coerce and threaten athletes who are speaking out on behalf of the innocent people of Darfur," Cheek was quoted as saying in a Team Darfur statement.
He joined Hollywood star and Darfur campaigner Mia Farrow, as well as Jill Savitt, director of activist group Dream for Darfur, in being denied entry to Beijing for the Olympics.
Unlike Cheek, though, Farrow and Savitt's applications for a visa failed.
"It's shocking. It's one thing to have an application for a visa rejected, but it's another thing to have a visa revoked," said Jonathan Freedman, a spokesman for Dream for Darfur, which has worked closely with Team Darfur.
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