Steven Spielberg Pulls Out of Olympics

Tainted food, crippling pollution, overwhelming traffic ... there's no shortage of non-sports issues for China to deal with during the run-up to the Summer Games. Looming above all of them are global concerns are complaints about the country's human rights record. Among the many concerns that people have about the host nation is their deplorable support of the Sudanese government which is carrying out genocide in Darfur.

That support has been decried by organizations and activists across the globe. Those groups are doing everything they can to take some of the publicity generated by the Olympics and turn it on the unacceptable situation in Darfur. Among their targets has been the film director Steven Spielberg, who had agreed to serve as artistic adviser to the Games. But he pulled out today and cited the situation in Sudan as the reason.

"With this in mind, I find that my conscience will not allow me to continue with business as usual. At this point, my time and energy must be spent not on Olympic ceremonies, but on doing all I can to help bring an end to the unspeakable crimes against humanity that will continue to be committed in Darfur."

Good for Spielberg for finally doing the right thing. His action, overdue as it is, makes the U.K. look even more ridiculous for forcing their athletes to sign a pledge promising not to criticize China during this summer's games. It also makes China's dream of a depoliticized Olympics even more of a pipe dream.