COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — The United States Olympic Committee will ask American athletes to comply with international Olympic rules regarding free speech in Beijing, but won't impose the extra measures the British federation has been criticized for.

International Olympic Committee rules state "no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues, or other areas."

The British Olympic Association plans to require its athletes to sign an agreement barring them from making politically sensitive remarks or gestures during the Olympics, a policy that was widely criticized as a measure that went beyond the Olympic charter.

The USOC has never had any rules that would be any more restrictive than what's in the Olympic charter, spokesman Darryl Seibel said today.

"The Olympic charter applies to athletes from every country, and we use the charter as our guide," Seibel said. "We will not impose prohibitions on free speech with our delegation. We do expect our delegation to comply with the relevant provisions of the Olympic charter."

After receiving criticism, British federation spokesman Graham Newsom said there had been "no intention of gagging anyone," and that the BOA was simply trying to mirror the rule in the Olympic charter. BOA chief executive Simon Clegg said the final agreement that athletes will sign will show that the intention is not to restrict athletes' freedom of speech.

Human rights groups, political activists and other observers are concerned over whether the Chinese government will allow free speech during the Olympics.