CHICAGO -- The Olympics, always a world stage, have had politics as a sidebar many times. An unofficial demonstration sport, if you will.

Politics' place this summer in Beijing has yet to be fully defined, but already protests and talks of boycotting the opening ceremony have overshadowed the standard fare of medal projections or athlete profiles or doping concerns. That's probably not fair to the athletes, but it's global life in the 21st century.

It raises questions about what role or responsibility athletes have on the political side of the Games as Aug. 8 approaches.

An Olympic media summit this week in the Windy City seemed like a good place to ask a cross-section of athletes.

They didn't directly address the issues of muted human rights in the Communist country, violent protests in Tibet, China's perceived indifference to the horrific fighting in Darfur or protests that have dogged the Olympic torch relay. If there are to be political statements from the American athletes, apparently they will come while those athletes are in China, where the sentiments will be more profound.

More on what they said in a minute, but first it's worth examining the reaction of two of the top United States Olympic Committee officials to questions about politics and personal opinions intersecting with the Games.

USOC chairman Peter Ueberroth and CEO Jim Scherr hatched another couple of unofficial demonstration sports for the '08 Games -- synchronized squirming and rhythmic rhetoric.

Ueberroth praised peace and free speech but seemed uncomfortable getting within a javelin's throw of the topic. Scherr was only slightly more forthcoming.

"Those issues will play out," he said, adding that while the political issues have taken precedence for the public, the teams and athletes have been focused on training.

Scherr didn't discourage American athletes from voicing their opinions while in China, but he certainly didn't encourage involvement, either.

"They can do so as long as they do so within rules of the IOC charter, but, if they don't want to do that, they should be left alone," he said. "They shouldn't feel undue pressure to be a part of someone else's cause."

In the international sense, these are not necessarily other people's causes. Still, some athletes prefer Scherr's thinking.

"Stuff like that will take you off your focus of what you came to do," said 21-year-old boxer Rau-shee Warren, a second-time Olympian. "Whatever happens, happens, but, right now, it's all about boxing. I try not to pay attention to it because that's not my job. My job is boxing."

Shawn Johnson, a women's gymnast, nearly was defiant in declaring that politics is off her radar.

"We're athletes, and we've worked 16-plus years to get here. Nothing is going to change how we feel about the Olympics."

That's an understandable attitude coming from someone who turned 16 in January, but six-time gold medalist swimmer Michael Phelps has a more informed view, one in which the harmony at the Games is something of a political movement.

"I'm beginning to understand more about world events," Phelps said. "The Olympics is always a time where things are talked about more and more. It is the Olympic Games, and everyone from all over is there. ... Seeing everyone come together as one no matter where they are from, being able to live in the [Olympic] Village and seeing everyone happy to be there, it's always positive."

Mike Krzyzewski, the Duke and Olympic men's basketball coach, said the topic will be broached with players at a June minicamp.

"I would advise them to follow their heart and what they believe in," Krzyzewski said. "They have a right to say what they want to say but to understand that they're representing United States basketball."

It's too bad there's a nagging fear that American athletes who choose to speak out -- and that number likely will be small at best unless there is some unfortunate or devastating incident to prompt it -- will somehow embarrass Olympic officials or our nation or the world.

Give them a little credit.

"I think what is important to know [is that] our first and our main focus is training right now and preparing for the summer and to win a gold medal," women's soccer player Abby Wambach said.

"Are we still humans? And do we also have [an awareness] in our minds and in our hearts? Yes. We hope to represent our country to the best of our ability and, in doing so, raise awareness to peace and community and bringing the world together."

Could anyone say it better?