British Olympic gold medalists Jessica Ennis and Phillips Idowu. (Photo: voice-online.co.uk)

While the Olympics are supposed to give the world a glance at international and racial harmony, albeit temporary, officals at London’s Summer Games managed to kill that lofty illusion long before anyone had the chance to take their place on the starting line.

The British Olympic Association recently came under fire for its refusal to grant journalists from Britain’s largest Black newspaper, The Voice, access to the games to cover the events for its readers. When questioned about the decision, officials said that the paper's application was given “careful consideration by the Media Accreditation Committee," but was denied because there simply weren't enough passes to go around given that so many media outlets placed requests to cover the games. Fortunately for The Voice, Britons didn't buy it.

After successful mobilization of the paper’s supporters thorough an online petition, the paper will now be allowed to attend the Games. The Voice reports:

"When it was reported that The Voice had been denied accreditation to the Games last week it provoked public outcry throughout Britain when it was revealed that its leading Black newspaper would not be able to cover the Games.

This resulted in thousands of people signing an online petition and inundated the paper with telephone calls and messages of support.

…

Zita Holbourne, who got the petition under way, said: 'This is about a few people standing up and a whole community taking up the cause. People should have the courage to stand up and speak out.'"

Read the full story here.

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