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Beijing - In a move sure to anger Beijing, which annexed Tibet in 1950, Tibetans in exile have formed the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Tibet and have written to International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge asking him to invite Tibet to participate in the 2008 Games.
"We are extremely proud to have a group of young Tibetan athletes eager to participate in next year's Games, hence our decision to form a national Olympic committee," NOC Tibet president Wangpo Tethong said.
Chungdak Koren, the vice-president of NOC Tibet, said he felt China and the IOC had failed to deliver on promises that the Olympics would be a force for good for the people of China and Tibet.
"Tibetans wish to be represented in the Olympics alongside other nations," he said.
"We have made this appeal to the IOC so that 'Team Tibet' can show the true nature of the Tibetan people."
- Independent
