Georgian athletes monitor crisis from Beijing

More than 30 Olympic athletes from Georgia are anxiously following the news of the violence in the breakaway region of their country, following the bombardment by Russian tanks, planes and artillery.

“All of them are nervous,” said team spokesman Giorgi Tchanishvili.

The Georgian government decided to keep the 35-member team at the Beijing Olympics, he said today.

“They have to concentrate on competition, but it’s very tough. But we are together, all of us.”

He said Georgian president Mikhail Saakashvili sent a message to the team, saying it would be better for Georgia if the athletes remained at the games. Mr Tchanishvili said the team was ready to leave if it would help.

The Georgian team lives only a few dozen yards away from the much larger Russian team, but there have been no problems, he said.

Members of both teams even chatted at the National Stadium during the opening ceremony and everything was “absolutely normal”, Mr Tchanishvili said. “We know it is the Olympic Games, and all of us sportsmen ... want everything to be normal.”

Russian team spokesman Gennady Shvets said the two teams had a “normal relationship”.

Russia sent hundreds of tanks and troops into the separatist province of South Ossetia and bombed Georgian towns yesterday, in a major escalation of the conflict that has left scores of civilians dead and wounded.

Georgia, a staunch US ally, launched a major offensive on Friday to retake control of the province. Russia, which has close ties to the province and posts peacekeepers there, responded by sending in armed convoys and military combat aircraft.

Two members of the Georgian team, weightlifters Albert Kuzilov and Arsen Kasabiev were from South Ossetia, Mr Tchanishvili said.

“When the war is in your country, at such a time it is very difficult for them, for all of us,” he added.

Members of the International Olympic Committee said they deplored the violence. The IOC and the United Nations General Assembly traditionally call for observance of an “Olympic Truce” during Games.

Beach volleyballer Cristine Santanna, a native Brazilian who plays for Georgia, said earlier that the “Olympics is a time for peace now”.

“I see all the nations get together. ... I am very upset about it. I wish everybody would be at peace, especially during the Olympics,” she said.