Romney: 'Serious error' to revoke Cheek's visa

Former governor Mitt Romney, en route to Beijing for the Summer Olympics, may be taking a little break from advocacy for John McCain. But he's not taking a break from advocacy.

Romney is angry that the Chinese government this week suddenly revoked the visa of Joey Cheek, a former Olympic speedskater who went on to co-found Team Darfur, an international coalition of athletes pushing peace in Sudan's Darfur region. China maintains deep economic ties to Sudan and has been reluctant to punish the country for its human rights abuses.

Cheek, now a Princeton University student, was planning to attend the games as a human rights activist and support the 73 members of Team Darfur who will be competing. Calling the decision to revoke Cheek's visa a "serious error," Romney said he is writing letters to the Chinese leadership and Chinese Olympic officials urging that the decision by revisited.

"I hope the Chinese government is able to reconsider this," Romney said in a phone interview between flights in Washington. "Joey Cheek is by no means an out-of-control radical. He's a very serious, sober, responsible individual, and his support for human rights certainly can't be in any way a detraction from the games."

Romney, who ran the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, is reminding Beijing that he had personally helped China bid for the 2008 games. "The Chinese officials know of my involvement in the past and will hopefully give consideration to my request, perhaps on a personal basis." The revocation of Cheek's visa, Romney added, was "out of the Olympic spirit."