Mr Gosper's public references to the IOC president Jacques Rogge and his suspicions of a deal having been done between the IOC and Chinese authorities have not gone down well in the soaring marbled halls of the luxurious Beijing Hotel, where the executive board is meeting before Tuesday's full session of 115 members.

Indeed, some in the Olympic family suggested that a press conference held by Mr Gosper yesterday morning could have been a ''farewell speech''.

China has started to open up various websites, including some that had never been open there before, such as Amnesty International, after earlier blocking the sites, which was in direct contradiction to its promises when bidding in 2001 and reassurances given to IOC members and the world's media ever since.

China will continue to block pornographic sites and those considered subversive, but internet access has improved dramatically in the past 48 hours.

But Mr Gosper's role in highlighting the issue may cost him his plum position.

''The second Kevan mentioned the president as having gone behind his back, that was it, his days are numbered, we will be looking for a new press chief,'' one IOC source said.

But Mr Gosper was putting on a brave face, saying, ''I have been in the IOC for over 30 years and chairman of the press commission for 20 years and I have taken that responsibility very seriously.''

The IOC publicly denied any deal, a version supported by Mr Gosper after having been briefed by Mr Rogge and the Beijing co-ordination chairman Hein Verbruggen.

Mr Gosper said the demarcation lines of what China regarded as ''subversive'' activities were ''blurred, but we will deal with it''.

''It has been a fairly rough week, but worth it to get this issue cleared away,'' he said.