This just in: The Olympics are royally screwed.

No, not because of the joke of a Torch relay in San Francisco, which made a game of “Where’s Waldo?” actually look entertaining (wtf is the point of having a torch run, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars for security if no one can ever see the damn thing?). No, not because it seems more and more world leaders will boycott the opening ceremonies.

No, it’s the monkey the IOC has chosen to lead this debacle, and in turn, push to shut everyone up and make Beijing seem like freaking Camelot.

Thursday, Chinese leaders said anyone displaying a Tibetan flag at an event, at the ceremonies, in their room, on their facebook page, in their children’s play pen, or even thinks about Tibet could be kicked out of the games under anti-propaganda laws. IOC President Jacques Rogge’s response?

Athletes can express political views, but will face sanctions if it’s determined to be propaganda. And then he squealed away without defining what propoganda is.

“Freedom of expression is absolutely a human right but there are small limitations,” Rogge said. “We are a movement of 205 nations, many of whom are in conflict, and the Games are not the place to take political or religious stances”.

So the message seems pretty clear: Try anything close, even think about the Tibetan flag, and you’ll be yanked. Pronto. Keep your mouths shut.

After the jump, what the Olympic Charter actually says, the history behind it, and what the heck is going on.

Yes, the Olympic charter bans any “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” in any Olympic venue or area. That would include Village. (btw, the charter was created after the ‘68 games, when Tommie Smith and Juan Carlos gave the Black Power salute).

So why won’t Rogge just come out and say the “Free Tibet” flags are not going to be allowed? Would you rather it now, or just make it so vague no one knows what’s going on, and the huge story of week one is the athlete who does try and gets kicked out? How ugly is that going to be?

This thing’s gonna be fantastic, isn’t it?