2008 Summer Olympics

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Games of the XXIX Olympiad
Official logo of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games

同一个世界同一个梦想 (One World, One Dream)
The "Dancing Beijing" emblem, depicting a Chinese
seal inscribed with the character "Jīng" (京, from the name
of the host city) in the form of a dancing figure.
Host city Beijing, China
Nations participating (See below)
Athletes participating 10,500 (approx.)[1]
Events 302 in 28 sports
Opening ceremony August 8
Closing ceremony August 24
Stadium Beijing National Stadium
2008 Summer Olympics
IOC COC BOCOG

The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, will be celebrated from August 8, 2008, to August 24, 2008, with the opening ceremony beginning at 08:08:08 pm CST (12:08:08 UTC) at the Beijing National Stadium in Beijing, People's Republic of China.[a] Some events will be held outside Beijing, namely football (soccer) (in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin), equestrian (in Hong Kong) and sailing (in Qingdao). This will be the third time the Olympics are held under the jurisdiction of 2 different NOCs (Hong Kong and mainland China compete separately).

The Olympic games were awarded to Beijing, People's Republic of China after an exhaustive ballot of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 13, 2001. The official logo of the games, titled "Dancing Beijing," features a stylized calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning capital), referencing the host city. The mascots of Beijing 2008 are the five Fuwa, each representing one color of the Olympic rings. The Olympic slogan, One World, One Dream, calls upon the world to unite in the Olympic spirit. Athletes will compete in 302 events in 28 sports, just one event more than was on the schedule of the Athens games of 2004. Several new National Olympic Committees (NOCs) have also been recognized by the IOC.

The Chinese government has promoted the games to highlight China's emergence on the world stage,[2][3] amidst concerns about environmental issues and human rights violations, particularly in Tibet. There have also been growing concerns of major nations boycotting the Olympics in protest of China's actions in Tibet.[4][5][6] Earlier in 2007, former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch had said that he believes that the Beijing games will be "the best in Olympic history."[7]

Contents

Host selection process

Countdown Clock
Countdown Clock
Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics bids

Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, beating Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities—Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville—submitted bids to the IOC but failed to make the shortlist in 2000. The voting distributions were as follows:

2008 Summer Olympics bidding results
City NOC Round 1 Round 2
Beijing Flag of the People's Republic of China China 44 56
Toronto, Ontario Flag of Canada Canada 20 22
Paris Flag of France France 15 18
Istanbul Flag of Turkey Turkey 17 9
Osaka Flag of Japan Japan 6 —

After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by an absolute majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.[8]

After winning the bid, the vice premier of the PRC Li Lanqing declared (2001 August 17): "The winning of the 2008 Olympic bid is an example of the international recognition of China's social stability, economic progress and the healthy life of the Chinese people." Previously, Beijing had bid to host the 2000 Summer Olympics. It led the voting over the first three rounds, but ultimately lost to Sydney in the final round in 1993.

Development and preparation

The Beijing government has issued new mandates that require police officers in the city to act more appropriately. The government has circulated pamphlets urging officers to desist from using foul language, being arrogant, and hanging up on people who call to report crimes. They have been told that violators will be reprimanded. By doing this, Beijing hopes to clean up its image in time for the games.[9]

A drive has also been launched to improve the poor English translations common on Chinese signage and labeling in readiness for the Olympics.[10]

Venues

Main articles: 2008 Summer Olympic venues and Olympic Park

By May 2007, construction of all thirty-one Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun.[11] The Chinese government is also investing in the renovation and construction of six venues outside Beijing as well as fifty-nine training centers. Its largest architectural pieces will be the Beijing National Stadium, Beijing National Indoor Stadium, Beijing National Aquatics Centre, Olympic Green Convention Centre, Olympic Green, and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center. Almost 85 percent of the construction budget for the six main venues is being funded by US$2.1 billion (RMB¥17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments are expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the 2008 Summer Olympics. Some venues will be owned and governed by the State General Administration of Sports, which will use them after the Olympics as facilities for all future national sports teams and events.

It was announced on July 8, 2005 that the equestrian events are to be held in Hong Kong because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone." The five venues outside Beijing will be located in Qingdao, Hong Kong, Tianjin, Shanghai, and Qinhuangdao.[12]

Beijing National Stadium

Model of the Beijing National Stadium.
Model of the Beijing National Stadium.
Main article: Beijing National Stadium

The centerpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics will be the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the "Bird nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure.[13] Construction of the venue began on December 24, 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 for the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing.[14] Government officials engaged architects worldwide in a design competition. A Swiss firm, Herzog & de Meuron Architekten AG, collaborated with China Architecture Design & Research Group to win the competition. The National stadium features a lattice-like concrete skeleton forming the stadium bowl and will have a seating capacity of 80,000 people. Architects originally described the overall design as resembling a Bird nest with an immense ocular—an opening with a retractable roof over the stadium. However, in 2004, the idea of retractable roof was abandoned for economic and safety reasons. The Beijing National Stadium will be the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics events and soccer finals. The stadium's designer Ai Weiwei has since withdrawn his support for China's Olympic games, saying "he wants nothing to do with them anymore".[15][16]

Transport

This is a map of the Olympic venues in Beijing. Several expressways encircle the center of the city, providing for quick transportation around the city and between venues.
This is a map of the Olympic venues in Beijing. Several expressways encircle the center of the city, providing for quick transportation around the city and between venues.

Anticipating a huge rush during the games, Beijing's subway system is currently undergoing a major expansion which will increase its capacity to more than twice its existing size. The system currently is composed of four lines and 64 stations. An additional seven lines and more than eighty new stations are being constructed, including a direct link to Beijing Capital International Airport. In the airport itself, eleven unmanned trains, each transporting a maximum of 83 passengers, will expedite the movement of people throughout the new terminal building.[17] Most of them are scheduled to operate from June 30, 2008, one month before the beginning of the games. In January 2007, the BOCOG announced that the Metro cars will be fitted with video screens showing the latest news and events during the games. Additionally, cellphone signals would be made available, so that people can use their communication devices in the metro stations or underground.[18]

According to the General Administration of Civil Aviation of China, a new five-level emergency alert system for extreme weather and security threats will be implemented in the airport. This system is designed to ensure smooth and safe transportation for the estimated three million domestic and overseas visitors who will flock to Beijing for the games in August 2008.[19]

On the ground, Beijing is set to designate thirty-eight official public transit routes that will link the Olympic venues. During the games, 2,500 large-size buses and 4,500 minibuses will be operated by a total of 8,000 drivers to transport people across various venues. Prior to the games, public transport will be optimized in order to reduce the existing 110 overlapping routes.[20]

Smoking is banned in the 66,000 cabs, the violation of which would lead to a fine of 100 to 200 yuan (13 to 26 USD). Beijing authorities are thus trying to make the event a non-smoking event.

Marketing

Emblem

Dancing Beijing emblem depicted in a flower garden.
Dancing Beijing emblem depicted in a flower garden.
Main article: Dancing Beijing

The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem entitled "Dancing Beijing" (舞动的北京) was unveiled in August 2003 in a ceremony attended by 2,008 people at Qi'niandian (祈年殿) — the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests in Beijing's Temple of Heaven (天壇 or 天坛). The emblem combines elements of traditional Chinese society—a red seal and a calligraphic word for jing (京) ("national capital") with athletic features. The open arms of the calligraphic word symbolizes the invitation of China to the world to share in its culture. IOC president Jacques Rogge was very happy with the emblem, saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people."[21]

Mascots

Main article: Fuwa

The Fuwa (Chinese: 福娃; pinyin: Fúwá; literally "good-luck dolls") were designed by Han Meilin. They were originally named "The Friendlies", but this name was dropped as Chinese officials were worried that it would be misunderstood as "friendless" or "friend lies."[22]

The Fuwa consist of five members that incorporate fish, giant panda, fire, Tibetan antelope, and swallow designs. They roughly correspond with the five elements of Chinese philosophy: water, metal, fire, wood, and earth. The Fuwa each have as their primary color one of the colors of the five Olympic Rings that stand for the five continents. The five Fuwa are named Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying, and Nini. When the first syllable of each of the five names are said together, the result is the phrase 北京欢迎你 (Běijīng huānyíng nĭ) which means "Beijing welcomes you".[23]

Tickets

The Beijing Olympic Organizing Committee began publicizing in early August 2006 that it will sell over 7 million tickets for various sporting events and ceremonies to the general public.[24] The chief of the committee expressed her hopes that all Chinese people would have a chance to come to the games. The committee has, therefore, set low ticket prices so as to encourage the Chinese people to become more involved in the Olympics.

On April 14, 2007, tickets to the general public went on sale through the Beijing Organizing Committee for domestic tickets (which will account for 75% of the sales) and through each nation's NOC for overseas ticket sales.[25] By June 2007, 2.2 million tickets—about a third of the supply volume—had already been sold.[26]

Slogan

Both the 2008 Olympic emblem and slogan appear side by side in this image.
Both the 2008 Olympic emblem and slogan appear side by side in this image.

The slogan for the 2008 Olympics is "One World, One Dream" (simplified Chinese: 同一个世界 同一个梦想; traditional Chinese: 同一個世界 同一個夢想; pinyin: Tóng Yíge Shìjiè Tóng Yíge Mèngxiǎng.)[27] The slogan calls upon the whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity. It was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world.[13]

Merchandising

Officially branded merchandise is sold at special stores.
Officially branded merchandise is sold at special stores.

Since early 2007, licensed Olympics merchandise stores have been in business throughout China. More than 800 official stores were in operation at the end of July 2007. Since August 2007, Olympic merchandise has been made available online, with more than 5000 products available via the official merchandising website, which include apparel, mascot dolls, key-chains and commemorative chopsticks.[28] In November 2007, overseas Olympic E-shop provide online access to customers all over the world to Licensed Products of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. (Excluding the USA, Japan, UK, Canada and China)[29]

Music

The official song for the game's one-year countdown celebration was entitled "We Are Ready"[30] with a version recorded by Hong Kong's Jackie Chan[31]. 106 contestants of Miss World 2007 performed the English version of the torch relay song "Light the Passion Share the Dream", composed by Chris Babida[32] About ten Olympic-themed music videos were recorded, including "Every One is Number One" by Hong Kong's Andy Lau[33], "Hero" by Chris Yu from Taiwan featuring the story of athlete John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania[34], "Dream in Sight" by Zhou Bichang from China[35], "Forever Friends" by American Coco Lee and Sun Nan[36], "You, me, and him -- happily we participate" by Super Girl and Happy Boys[37], and "Together on the Blue Planet" by Nicholas Tse and Joey Yung from Hong Kong[38].

It was announced that Canada's Celine Dion[39] and Taiwan's Jay Chou[40] would perform during the opening ceremony.

"Beijing Huan Ying Ni," or "Beijing welcomes you" was the theme song for the 100-day countdown celebration, a follow-up to "We Are Ready".[41] During the celebration on 30 April, the song "Light the Passion, Share the Dream" was selected as the official theme for the torch relay. "I am a Star" and "Smile Beijing" were selected as theme songs for the Beijing Olympic Volunteers Committee.[42]

Sports

This pictogram depicts Athletics.
This pictogram depicts Athletics.
Decorative flower garden in Tiananmen Square depicting various Olympic sports.
Decorative flower garden in Tiananmen Square depicting various Olympic sports.

The program for the Beijing 2008 Games is quite similar to that of the Athens Games held in 2004. The 2008 Olympics will see the return of 28 sports, and will hold 302 events (165 men’s events, 127 women’s events, and 10 mixed events), one event more in total than in Athens.

Overall nine new events will be held, which include two from the new cycling discipline of BMX. Women will compete in the 3000 m steeplechase for the first time. In addition, marathon swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometers, will be added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis will replace the doubles events. In fencing, women's team foil and women's team sabre will replace men's team foil and women's team epee.[b][43][44]

In mid-2006, video gamers held talks with the Chinese government in hopes of allowing video games to be a demonstration sport at the games. Demonstration events have not been held at any Olympic Games (Summer or Winter) since 1992.[45]

On August 7, 2006, a day before the 2-year countdown to the Beijing Games, the Beijing Organizing Committee released pictograms of the 35 Olympic disciplines. Each pictogram is designed so that people of nations around the world can recognize the different sports being played at the Olympic Games. This set of sport icons is named the beauty of seal characters, due to each pictogram's likeness to Chinese seal script.[46]

The following are the sports to be contested at the games. The Olympic sport of aquatics has been split into its constituent disciplines of diving, swimming, synchronized swimming, and water polo. The number of events to be contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses.

Torch relay

Main articles: 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay and 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay route
2008 Olympic Torch Relay
2008 Olympic Torch Relay

The plans accepted by the IOC for the Olympic torch relay were announced on 26 April 2007, in Beijing.[47] The relay, with the theme Journey of Harmony, is expected[48] to last 130 days and carry the torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi) — the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay. So far, the torch relay has been a public relations disaster[49] for China, with protests of China's human rights record, particularly in Tibet.

The relay began 24 March 2008, in Olympia, Greece. From there, it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on 31 March. From Beijing, the torch followed a route passing through every continent except Antarctica. The torch visited cities on the Silk Road, symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. A total of 21,880 torchbearers have been selected from around the world by various organizations and entities.[50]

2008 Olympic Torch on display in Vilnius, February 16, 2008.
2008 Olympic Torch on display in Vilnius, February 16, 2008.

The BOCOG carried the flame to the top of Mount Everest[50] on a 108 km (67 mi) long "highway" scaling the Tibetan side of the mountain especially built for the relay. The $19.7 million blacktop project spanned from Tingri County of Xigazê Prefecture to the Everest Base Camp. Environmental concerns about the effects of the road on the fragile Himalayan region were expressed by the media.[51] In March 2008, China banned mountaineers from climbing its side of Mount Everest and later persuaded the Nepalese government to close their side as well, officially citing environmental concerns.[52] It also reflected concerns by the communist government that Tibet activists may try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak.[53]

The original route included a stop in Taipei before heading for Hong Kong. Taiwan's government, however, later rejected this proposal, claiming that such arrangement would make the Taiwan relay be seen as part of China's domestic route, rather than the international route.[54] The IOC eliminated Taipei from the relay; both China and Taiwan have blamed each other for injecting politics into the event.[55]

Protesters in support of both the Beijing Olympics and the Tibetan Independence Movement during the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco.
Protesters in support of both the Beijing Olympics and the Tibetan Independence Movement during the Olympic torch relay in San Francisco.

The Olympic Torch is based on traditional scrolls and uses a traditional Chinese design known as the "Propitious Clouds" (祥云). The torch is designed to remain lit in 65 kilometer per hour winds, and in rain of up to 50 millimeters per hour.

The relay has been a problematic, month-long world tour that has seen wide-scale protests to China's human rights abuses and recent crackdown in Tibet. After trouble in London saw several attempts to put out the flame, the following day, the flame was extinguished in Paris .[56] The American leg in San Francisco on 9 April was altered without prior warning to avoid such scenes, although there were still demonstrations along the original route, [57] but the remaining legs have not been as disastrous. The relay was further delayed and simplified after the devastating 2008 Sichuan earthquake affecting western China.

Participating NOCs

Though the qualifying competitions for various sports are well underway, it cannot be certain which of the current 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs)[58] will participate in 2008. Most NOCs participate regularly, although various circumstances could cause a nation to be absent from the games, as was the case for six NOCs at the 2006 Winter Olympics. Nevertheless, placements in various qualifying events can help predict which nations and how many athletes will be at the games. Steven Roush, chief of sport performance for the United States Olympic Committee, expects that the United States will bring about 600 competitors to the games, their largest Olympic team thus far.[59]

Participation changes

The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and are expected to participate in the Games.[60][61][62] In May 2006 (just after the 2006 Winter Olympics), the citizens of Montenegro severed its political union with Serbia. The states of Serbia and Montenegro, which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as Serbia and Montenegro, will now compete separately. The Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007.[62] On February 17, 2008, the IOC also promised to recognize the Republic of Kosovo as a new independent nation. However, it is not probable that athletes from the newly formed republic will be able to qualify for the Olympics in time to send a delegation to Beijing. Their participation is additionally compromised by the fact that the new nation has yet to be recognized by many other international athletic federations.[63]

North Korea and South Korea have considered sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics.[64][65] In the past, the two nations have walked together in the parade of nations during the opening ceremonies, but have never competed as one team. The two NOCs met with IOC president Jacques Rogge on September 5, 2006, to discuss the possibility of creating such a combined team.[66] In early 2007, Korean Olympic Committee President Kim Jung-Kil and North Korean Olympic Committee President Mun Jae-duk met to further discuss the logistics of sending a unified team.[65] At the meeting, South Korea advocated for the selection of athletes based on performance, while North Korea hoped for equal representation of athletes if the two indeed sent a joint team.[67] The NOCs failed to reach an agreement on representation, but said they would have further discussions in the future.[68]

Broadcasting

International broadcasters
Nation Broadcaster Cite
Flag of Australia Australia Seven Network, SBS [69]
Flag of Belgium Belgium VRT, RTBF [citation needed]
Flag of Brazil Brazil Globo, Rede Bandeirantes, Sportv,
ESPN Brasil and BandSports		 [citation needed]
Flag of Bulgaria Bulgaria BNT [citation needed]
Flag of Canada Canada CBC Radio, Radio-Canada, TSN, RDS [citation needed]
Flag of Chile Chile TVN, Canal 13 [citation needed]
Flag of the People's Republic of China China CCTV-1, CCTV-5 [citation needed]
Flag of Colombia Colombia Caracol, RCN [citation needed]
Flag of Eritrea Eritrea Eri-TV [citation needed]
Flag of Europe European Union Eurosport [citation needed]
Flag of Finland Finland YLE [70]
Flag of France France France 2 [citation needed]
Flag of Germany Germany ARD, ZDF [citation needed]
Flag of Greece Greece ERT [citation needed]
Flag of Hong Kong Hong Kong ATV, TVB [71]
Flag of Hungary Hungary Magyar Televízió [citation needed]
Flag of India India Doordarshan [citation needed]
Flag of Indonesia Indonesia RCTI, TPI, Global TV [citation needed]
Flag of Iran Iran IRIB Channel 3 [citation needed]
Flag of Ireland Ireland RTÉ [72]
Flag of Italy Italy RAI (Rai Due) [citation needed]
Flag of Japan Japan NHK, others [citation needed]
Flag of Latvia Latvia LTV7 [citation needed]
Flag of Mexico Mexico Televisa [citation needed]
Flag of Malaysia Malaysia Astro, RTM [73]
Flag of the Netherlands Netherlands NPO/NOS [74]
Flag of New Zealand New Zealand TV ONE [citation needed]
Flag of Peru Peru ATV [citation needed]
Flag of the Philippines Philippines Solar Sports [75]
Flag of Poland Poland TVP1, TVP2, TVP Sport [76]
Flag of Portugal Portugal RTP [citation needed]
Flag of Romania Romania TVR [citation needed]
Flag of Russia Russia VGTRK, Channel One [77]
Flag of Serbia Serbia RTS [citation needed]
Flag of Singapore Singapore StarHub CableTV, MediaCorp TV [citation needed]
Flag of Slovakia Slovakia STV [citation needed]
Flag of Slovenia Slovenia RTV Slovenija [citation needed]
Flag of South Korea South Korea KBS [citation needed]
Flag of Spain Spain Teledeporte [citation needed]
Flag of Thailand Thailand TVPOOL, NBT and SAT TV [citation needed]
Flag of Turkey Turkey TRT [citation needed]
Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom BBC [78]
Flag of the United States United States NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen,
USA Network, Telemundo, Universal HD		 [79]
Flag of Venezuela Venezuela Venevision, Meridiano TV, TVES [80]
Flag of Vietnam Vietnam VTV [citation needed]

These games will be the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in high definition television, and will likely garner upwards of four billion viewers.[81] In their bid for the Olympic games in 2001, Beijing confirmed to the olympic evaluation commission "that there will be no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including the Olympic Games."[82]

In Canada the public network CBC/Radio-Canada and cable networks TSN and RDS will broadcast its final games before a private consortium involving CTV/Rogers/TQS takes over for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will be happening within Canadian borders, in Vancouver.

Issues

Likely competitors in the Games, especially swimmers, have voiced dissatisfaction with the IOC's decision to schedule some events to meet the requests of NBC, which paid US$5.7 billion[83] for exclusive United States broadcasting rights to the Summer and Winter Games from 2000 through 2012.[84] NBC requested that popular events, such as swimming, athletics, basketball, and gymnastics, be broadcast live during television primetime in the United States between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. EDT (between 00:00 and 03:00 UTC) for maximum advertising revenue. This would require events to be held in the early morning between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., Beijing time. The IOC granted the request for swimming and gymnastics but denied it for athletics and basketball.[85] The IOC has precedent for its decision: at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, some swimming, gymnastics, and athletics finals were held in the morning. Also, at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, gymnastics finals were held in the afternoon which allowed most of Europe to view gymnastics during their primetime.

Concerns and controversies

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Concerns over the games include the potential for boycotts from pro-Tibetan organizations such as Students for a Free Tibet as well as from organizations such as Amnesty International upset with China's involvement in the crisis in Darfur. China has also been battling problems with air pollution both in the city of Beijing and in neighboring areas, which the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) says it hopes to remedy before the games. The head of Interpol warned China on April 25, 2008 that there is a "real possibility" that the Beijing Olympics will be targeted by terrorist groups[86], as well as potentially violent disruption from pro-Tibet protestors.[87]

Mass displacement

The Geneva-based group, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions has claimed that 1.5 million Beijing residents will be displaced from their homes for the Olympics event. Beijing's Olympic organizing committee and China's Foreign Ministry have put the number at 6,037.[88] Some sources say that as of May 2005, 300,000 residents have been evicted in preparation for the games and that police in Beijing placed many people under arrest for protesting against the evictions.[89] Other sources say that nearly 15,000 people have been relocated.[90]

Human Rights Violations

For more details on this topic, see Human rights in the People's Republic of China.
Protests against China's human rights violations during the Olympic Torch Relay.
Protests against China's human rights violations during the Olympic Torch Relay.

Numerous human rights violations have taken place in China because of the Olympics, according to an Amnesty International report.[91] In 2006, Beijing implemented a detention without trial scheme called "Re-education Through Labor" which targets people who have committed minor offenses and are forced to work long hours and can be detained for 4 years.[92]

Sabotage Plot

On April 10, 2008, China announced that they had foiled a sabotage plot against the games. According to the Chinese security ministry, Uyghur separatists in the North-Western Province of Xinjiang planned to conduct suicide bomb attacks on Chinese cities and conduct kidnappings in Beijing in order to disrupt the Olympic Games. Uyghur activists claim that the Chinese fabricated these terror plots in order to prevent people in the region from voicing their grievances with the Chinese. [93] Xinjiang province is historically mainly an Islamic region of China which is largely populated by Turkic peoples, some who wish to make Xinjiang an independent state called East Turkestan.[94] China reported that they had arrested 35 suspects, as part of a ten day raid.[95]

Protests

See also: 2008 Tibetan unrest and 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay#Political fallout

While no state has indicated they will boycott the 2008 games, some groups are initiating independent campaigns to do so and other notable groups have called for protests. It has been reported that Chinese intelligence services were monitoring the activities of foreigners suspected of plotting demonstrations during the Olympics. In addition to monitoring NGOs that are concerned with domestic Chinese issues, the Chinese intelligence is also monitoring possible terrorism-related activities and anti-American demonstrations.[96]

Tibet

Pro-Tibet protests during the Olympic Torch Relay.
Pro-Tibet protests during the Olympic Torch Relay.

Pro-Tibetan independence groups, such as Students for a Free Tibet, have initiated a campaign to protest the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.[97][98][99] The group plans to protest for Tibetan independence and objects to the Chinese government's use of the Tibetan antelope (chiru) as one of its five mascots.[100] The Tibetan People's Movement has also demanded representation of Tibet with its own national flag. Hollywood actor Richard Gere in his position as the chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet called for the boycott of the games to put pressure on China to make Tibet independent. There have also been plans by Tibetans to organise their own version of the Olympics in May at the headquarters of Tibetan government-in-exile, because Tibet doesn't get representation.[101]

The press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders has advocated a boycott expressing concerns over violations of free speech and human rights in China. It hopes that international pressure and petition can effect the release of prisoners of conscience, and hold China to promises made to the IOC, regarding improvements in human rights.[102] Reporters Without Borders journalists interrupted the speech of China organizing committee chief during the Olympic torch lighting ceremony in Greece March 24, 2008.[103] Three of them breached a cordon of 1,000 police at the ancient Olympia stadium and ran behind Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Games committee, as he made a speech. One protestor tried to snatch the microphone as another unrolled a black flag showing the Olympic rings as handcuffs. The trio, from a French human rights group, were dragged away by police.[104] Nearly 50 Tibetan exiles in India began a global torch relay March 25, 2008 with a symbolic "Olympic" flame that will end in Tibet on August 8, 2008, the day of the Summer Games' opening ceremonies in Beijing.[103]

China's Involvement in Darfur

Protests against China's role in the Darfur conflict.
Protests against China's role in the Darfur conflict.

Activists working to address the ongoing violence in Darfur, Sudan, have called for pressure to be exerted on China because of their financial and diplomatic support for Omar al-Bashir, who is responsible for the Sudanese government's proxy militias. These advocates, which include actress Mia Farrow, NBA athlete Ira Newble, and Sudan researcher Eric Reeves, have organized a global advocacy campaign called Olympic Dream for Darfur. Some have begun to refer to the Beijing Olympics as the "Genocide Olympics" as noted in The China Post as a way of connecting Beijing's close political and economic ties to the Sudanese regime. The Chinese government, in turn, has criticised the activists for "politicising" the Olympics and outlined its plans to help the Sudanese economy.[105][106]

China's Involvement in Myanmar

Since China has close economic and military ties with Myanmar, it is seen as a major lever against the repressive regime in Myanmar.[107] Many have also criticized China's opposition of sanctions against Myanmar's military rulers,[108] who used force against anti-government protesters in 2007. The Olympics are considered a way to motivate China to take a firm stance against human rights violations in Burma.[109]

On September 28, 2007, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu urged China to intervene in the ongoing protests in Myanmar. Tutu said that if China did not take a stance against the military rulers in Myanmar he would "join a campaign to boycott the Beijing Olympics".[110] His call has been taken up by the U.S. Campaign for Burma.

Boycotts

Calls for sustained pressure and possible boycotts of the Olympics have come from former French presidential candidate François Bayrou,[111] actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow,[112] Genocide Intervention Network Representative Ronan Farrow,[112] author and Sudan scholar Eric Reeves[113] and the The Washington Post editorial board.[114] Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, founder of the Los Angeles' University of Southern California's Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, sent a letter to Hu Jintao on April 2, 2007 to discuss and possibly end China's involvement in the conflict.[115] In February 2008, Spielberg announced he was stepping down from his role as an artistic advisor in protest of the Chinese government's refusal to pressure Sudan to stop the "continuing human suffering" in the Darfur region. He noted: "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these on-going crimes, but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more."[116] Additionally, a group of 106 lawmakers in the United States have circulated a letter calling for the US to boycott the coming Olympics because of China's support of the Sudanese regime and the forced relocation[89] of 300,000 Chinese poor to make room for the games.[117] Congresswoman Maxine Waters introduced a similar resolution in early August 2007.[118]

The British Olympic Association (BOA) will require that before leaving for China, British Olympic team members sign an agreement, stating that they "are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues." However, BOA spokesman Graham Newsom stated that the BOA didn't intend to censor athletes, and referred to a rule in the International Olympic Committee charter which states, "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."[119][120]

On April 2, 2008, the Japanese government announced that its royal family will not participate in the opening ceremony, now that the violent crackdown in Tibet has been the focus of international concern. These issues led the government to decide to reject the request.[121]

On April 5, French newspaper Le Monde quoted a French minister as stating that the attendance of president Sarkozy at the opening ceremony is "conditional". Three conditions were set: "an end to violence against the population and the release of political prisoners, light to be shed on the events in Tibet and the opening of dialogue with the Dalai Lama."[122] However, Minister Rama Yade said that Le Monde misquoted her as listing conditions, and that the word "conditions" was never used. BBC News wrote that while Sarkozy was opposed to a full boycott, he would "not close the door to any possibility" as far as his own attendance is concerned.[123]

Masahisa Tsujitani, a Japanese craftsman who makes shots used by many Olympic athletes announced April 14 he refuses to allow his wares to be used at the 2008 Olympics to protest against China's treatment of protesters in Tibet.[124]

Environmental and health issues

Severe air pollution in Beijing is a major risk for athletes' health and a setback to their performance.
Severe air pollution in Beijing is a major risk for athletes' health and a setback to their performance.[125]

Concern has been raised over the air quality of Beijing and its potential effect on the athletes.[c] Although the Beijing Municipal Government, in its bid file in 2001, committed to lowering air pollution, increasing environmental protection, and introducing environmental technology,[126] research data show that even if the city were to dramatically cut down its emissions, pollution would still drift over the neighboring provinces,[127] from which 50 percent of Beijing's air is believed to originate.[128] At current levels, air pollution is at least 2 to 3 times higher than levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization. Marco Cardinale of the British Olympic Association has stated that air pollution coupled with heat and humidity makes it "very unlikely we'll see outstanding performances in endurance sports."[127] Despite this, Beijing committed to remove 60,000 taxis and buses from the roads by the end of 2007 and relocate 200 local factories, including a prominent steel factory,[127] before the games begin.[128] The Chinese government has provided assurances that "blue skies are a requirement not only for Beijing, but also for the places around it."[129] The United States Olympic Committee has also expressed its assurance that the air quality of Beijing will not be a concern for the U.S. delegation to the games.[130] Nevertheless, the IOC's medical commission recently analyzed air-quality data recorded by the Beijing Environment Protection Bureau in August, when test athletic events were held in the Chinese capital. The commission found that outdoor endurance events -- defined as those that include at least an hour of continuous, high-intensity physical effort -- may pose some risk.[131]

In spite of such efforts, several countries have indicated that their athletes will arrive at the games as late as possible to limit exposure to pollution.[132] Some countries including Japan and South Korea have set up offshore training camps to avoid the pollution.[133]

Meteorological findings in April 2007 also have suggested that, based on rainfall data from the past 30 years, there is a 50 percent chance of rain for the opening and closing ceremonies of the games.[134][135] To combat the chance of poor weather, Beijing officials plan to seed clouds to induce rain several days before the games begin by shooting thousands of silver iodate pellets into the air using ground-based rockets.[136][137] While the effectiveness of this method is questionable, Beijing is optimistic that it will reduce the chance of rainfall during the games,[138] and planned to carry out several tests as a practice in the summer of 2007, one year before the games begin.[136] Officials have also stated that inducing rain should also remove some of the pollution from the air.[135]

Another issue of concern is that of Beijing's poor tap water supply. A high-ranking Beijing official has stated that tap water in the city should be avoided.[citation needed] The water coming out of the water plants is safe, according to Bi Xiaogang of the Beijing Water Management Bureau; the process of transporting the water throughout the city is what contaminates it. Beijing is suffering from a drought of 15 years as well as a lack of major fresh water sources elsewhere, so many locals drink bottled water instead of that from the tap.[139] Officials of the city water authority have ensured, however, that "the safety and efficiency of the water system" will be maintained and that the recycled water supplied to the Olympic Village will be as clean as tap water.[140]

Following recent scares regarding the safety of food products manufactured in China, the United States Olympic Committee has decided to import food for its athletes. In particular, athletes were concerned that eating meat that was raised in China could contain enough steroids to cause the athletes to test positive for steroid use.[141] The United States Olympic Committee's plan to bring its own food to China has disappointed the leader of food services for the Beijing Olympics.[142]

Chinese counter-protests

The condemnation of China by Western countries has caused a surge of nationalism and anti-foreigner sentiment in China, with the risk that violence will be directed at foreign visitors to the Olympics.[143] French goods have been threatened with a boycott for the French government's handling of the torch relay through Paris, with flag burning protests outside the French supermarket chain Carrefour.[144] A number of death threats have been received against foreign journalists in China, for what some Chinese see as the biased reporting on Tibet by the Western Media. Time magazine suggests current patriotic protests could erupt into anti-government protests, as with the 1919 May Fourth Movement.[143] Media reports that the attitudes of regular citizens towards foreigners in China have noticeably worsened. A poll found that 80% of Chinese respondents thought that foreign media sources conveyed a biased view of China. In late April Chinese internet censors, who had previously permitted posts critical of foreigners, began blocking words such as "Carrefour", in what was seen as an attempt to calm tensions before the games. Foreigners in Beijing reported more regular checks of their identification and work permits, while travel agents in Hong Kong reported that multiple-entry business visas for the mainland, commonly used by foreign businesspeople who lack work visas, were no longer being issued, apparently in an attempt to prevent the entry of foreign activists.[145]

See also
Olympics Portal

References

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Notes

  1. ^ The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture.[1]
  2. ^ The fencing programme will again include all six individual events and four team events, though the team events will be a different set than were held in 2004. The International Fencing Federation's rules call for events not held in the previous Games to receive automatic selection and for at least one team event in each weapon to be held. Voting is conducted to determine the fourth event. In 2004, the three men's team events and the women's épée were held. Thus, in 2008, the women's foil and sabre events and men's épée were automatically selected. Men's sabre was chosen over foil by a 45–20 vote.[2]
  3. ^ Poor-quality air in China contributes to the death of about 400,000 Chinese annually. Ozone and fine particulate matter—bits of carbon, sulfates, and industrial by-products—will be the two biggest pollution threats to the athletes in 2008. When high ozone levels are present, lungs are not able to absorb as much air, causing coughing, wheezing, or headaches.[3]

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