Jump to content

2008 Summer Olympics: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Yongke (talk | contribs)
154 edits
→Legacy: Come on now, there also is no reason to delete this line. It is backed up by a perfectly good source. Too possitive for you? Not my problem.
Yongke (talk | contribs)
154 edits
→Legacy: What a sneaky way to turn a posstive toned report in into a negative one! The disruption are used during and before the game not after it.
Line 268: Line 268:
For the Chinese people, the Olympics itself, as well as the medals won by Chinese athletes, were a great source of national pride.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Future of Beijing's Cleaner Air|date=2008-09-02|url=http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2008/09/the_future_of_beijings_cleaner.html?xid=rss-china}}</ref> The Olympics have also bolstered domestic support for the Chinese government, and support for the policies of the [[Communist Party of China]], giving rise to concerns that the state will have more leverage to disperse dissent.<ref name="legacy1">{{cite web|last=Gardner |first=Dinah|title=China's Olympic legacy |date=2008-08-25|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/beijing08/2008/08/20088255274440438.html|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>
For the Chinese people, the Olympics itself, as well as the medals won by Chinese athletes, were a great source of national pride.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Future of Beijing's Cleaner Air|date=2008-09-02|url=http://time-blog.com/china_blog/2008/09/the_future_of_beijings_cleaner.html?xid=rss-china}}</ref> The Olympics have also bolstered domestic support for the Chinese government, and support for the policies of the [[Communist Party of China]], giving rise to concerns that the state will have more leverage to disperse dissent.<ref name="legacy1">{{cite web|last=Gardner |first=Dinah|title=China's Olympic legacy |date=2008-08-25|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/beijing08/2008/08/20088255274440438.html|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>


The Olympics did not lead to the expected economic boom, but caused disruptions in the economy of Beijing. The long-term impact is not yet clear, but it is generally expected that there will be no lasting negative effect.<ref name="legacy5">{{cite web|title=Beijing's economy - Going for gold |date=2008-08-25|url=http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11920899|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>
The long-term economic impact is not yet clear, but it is generally expected that there will be no lasting effect on the city due to the game.<ref name="legacy5">{{cite web|title=Beijing's economy - Going for gold |date=2008-08-25|url=http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11920899|accessdate=2008-08-29}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==

Revision as of 06:34, 4 September 2008

"Beijing 2008" redirects here. For the video game, see Beijing 2008 (video game).

Template:Contains Chinese text The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 (except football, which started on August 6) to August 24, 2008. A total of 10,500 athletes competed in 302 events in 28 sports, one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 Games.[2] The 2008 Beijing Olympics also marked the third time that Olympic events have been held in the territories of two different National Olympic Committees (NOC), as the equestrian events were being held in Hong Kong.

The Olympic Games were awarded to Beijing 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 stylised calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning capital), referring to the host city. Several new NOCs have also been recognised by the IOC. The 2008 Olympics was the third time the Olympics had taken place on the Asian continent, and the fifth time for an Olympics outside of Europe and North America.

The Chinese government promoted the Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transportation systems.[3][4] A total of 37 venues were used to host the events including 12 newly constructed venues. At the closing ceremony IOC president Jacques Rogge declared the event a "truly exceptional Games" after earlier asserting that the IOC had "absolutely no regrets" in choosing Beijing to host the 2008 Games.[5] The choice of China as a host country was the subject of criticism by some politicians and NGOs concerned about China's human rights record.[6][7] China and others, meanwhile, warned against politicizing the Olympics.[8][9]

The Games saw 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set.[10] A record 87 countries won a medal during the Games. Chinese athletes won 51 gold medals altogether, the second largest haul by a national team in a modern, non-boycotted Summer Games.[11][12] Michael Phelps broke the record for most golds in one Olympics and for most career gold medals for an Olympian. Usain Bolt secured the traditional title "World's Fastest Man" by setting new world records in the 100m and 200m dashes.

Bid

2008 Summer Olympics bidding results
City NOC Round 1 Round 2
Beijing China China 44 56
Toronto Canada Canada 20 22
Paris France France 15 18
Istanbul Turkey Turkey 17 9
Osaka Japan Japan 6 —
Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics bids

Beijing was elected the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, defeating 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 short list in 2000. 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.[13]

After winning the bid, Li Lanqing, the vice premier of China, declared "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." Eight years earlier, Beijing led every round of voting for the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, but lost in the final round to Sydney by just two votes.

Development and preparation

Olympic rings
Part of a series on
2008 Summer Olympics

Venues

Main articles: 2008 Summer Olympics venues and Olympic Green

By May 2007, construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun.[14] The Chinese government has also invested in the renovation and construction of six venues outside Beijing as well as 59 training centres. Its largest architectural pieces are the Beijing National Stadium, Beijing National Indoor Stadium, Beijing National Aquatics Center, Olympic Green Convention Center, Olympic Green, and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center. Almost 85% of the construction budget for the six main venues was funded by US$2.1 billion (RMB¥17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were 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. The 2008 Beijing Olympics are the most expensive Games in history with a total of $40.9 billion spent between 2001 and 2007 on infrastructure, energy, transportation and water supply projects.[15]

Some events were held outside Beijing, namely football in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin; sailing in Qingdao; and, because of "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone", equestrian in Hong Kong.[16]

Beijing National Stadium

Main article: Beijing National Stadium
The Beijing National Stadium.

The centrepiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics is the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the Bird's Nest because of its nest-like skeletal structure.[17] Construction of the venue began on December 24, 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing.[18][19] 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 stadium features a lattice-like concrete skeleton forming the stadium bowl and has a seating capacity of over 90,000 people. Architects originally described the overall design as resembling a bird nest with an immense ocular opening with a retractable roof over the stadium. However, in 2004, the idea of the retractable roof was abandoned for economic and safety reasons. The Beijing National Stadium was the site of the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as the athletics events and soccer finals.

The Beijing Olympic Village opened on July 16, 2008 and to the public on July 26, 2008.

Transport

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.

To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure was expanded significantly. Beijing's airport underwent a major expansion, adding the new Terminal 3, the world's largest airport terminal, designed by renowned architect Norman Foster.[20] On August 1, Beijing south railway station was reopened after two years of construction. The 120-km long Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Rail, which opened on the same day, connects the new railway station with Olympic co-host city Tianjin with the world's fastest scheduled train service at 350 km/h.

Within the city itself, Beijing's subway expanded to more than double its capacity and overall size, adding an additional 7 lines and 80 stations to the previously-existing 4 lines and 64 stations, including a new link connecting directly to the city's airport. Also, a fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses and official cars transported spectators, athletes and officials between venues.[21][22]

A temporary road space rationing based on plate numbers was in effect during the Games in an effort to improve air quality.[23] In addition, 300,000 heavy-polluting vehicles have been banned from operating within the city, and entry into Beijing by vehicles has been strictly limited. These restrictions are enforced from July 20 to September 20.[24][dead link‍] Passenger vehicle restrictions are placed on alternate days depending on the plates ending in odd or even numbers. This measure is expected to take 45% of Beijing's 3.3 million cars off the streets. The boosted public transport network is expected to absorb the demand created by these restrictions and the influx of visitors, which is estimated at more than 4 million extra passengers per day.[25][24]

Marketing

Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics marketing

The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem is known as Dancing Beijing (Chinese: 舞动的北京). The emblem combines a traditional Chinese red seal and a representation of the calligraphic character jīng (京, "national capital", also the second character of Beijing's Chinese name) with athletic features. The open arms of the calligraphic word symbolises 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."[26]

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.[17]

The mascots of Beijing 2008 were the five Fuwa,[28] each representing both a colour of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture.

Broadcasting

Further information: 2008 Summer Olympics broadcasting

The 2008 Games were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in high definition television by the host broadcaster. In comparison, American broadcaster NBC broadcasted only half of the Turin Winter Games produced in HD.[29][30] 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,"[31] but according to a report in The New York Times, "these promises have been contradicted by strict visa rules, lengthy application processes and worries about censorship."[32]

Online coverage

American broadcaster NBC produced only 2 hours of online streaming video for the 2006 Winter Games but produced approximately 2,200 hours of coverage for the 2008 Summer Games. For the first time "live online video rights in some markets for the Olympics have been separately negotiated, not part of the overall 'broadcast rights,'"; these new media of the digital economy are growing "nine times faster than the rest of the advertising market."[33]

Globally, however, the 2008 Olympics is subject to extensive copyright restriction –which amounts to territorial restrictions– whilst still being covered extensively online within various exclusive copyright autarkies. Thus despite the international nature of the event and the global reach of the Internet, the coverage world wide of assorted nation-states and television networks is not readily accessible; there is no global or supranational media coverage as such. The international European Broadcasting Union (EBU), for example, provides live coverage and highlights of all arenas only for certain of its own territories[34] on their website eurovisionsports.tv.[35] Many national broadcasters likewise restrict online events to their domestic audiences.[36]

Despite the contractual obligations of the digital economy, some of the same technologies used to circumvent the Great Firewall of China (such as UltraSurf) can be used to subvert the Olympic media autarkies on the Internet as well.

YouTube has removed a video of a regional German network's (NDR) coverage of the opening ceremonies as "This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by a third party.[37][38]; a video from Australia's Seven Network has been removed "for violation of terms of service." Furthermore, the General National Copyright Administration of China has announced that "individual (sic) and websites will face fines as high as 100,000 yuan for uploading recordings of Olympic Games video to the internet,"[39] part of an extensive campaign to protect the pertinent intellectual property rights.[40][41][42]

Torch relay

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

The design of 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 kph (40 mph) winds, temperatures as low as -40°C and in rain of up to 50 mm (2 in) per hour.

The relay, with the theme Journey of Harmony, lasted 130 days and carried the torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi)—the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition began at the 1936 Berlin Games.[43][44] The torch relay was called a "public relations disaster" for China by The Times,[45] with protests of China's human rights record, particularly about Tibet.

Route of the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay

The relay began March 24, 2008, in Olympia, Greece. From there, it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on March 31. 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.[46]

The international portion of the relay was problematic. The month-long world tour saw 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 flame was extinguished in Paris the following day.[47] The American leg in San Francisco on April 9 was altered without prior warning to avoid such scenes, although there were still demonstrations along the original route.[48] The relay was further delayed and simplified after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake affecting western China.

The flame was carried to the top of Mount Everest[46] 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.[49] In 2008 March, 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.[50] It also reflected concerns by the Chinese government that Tibet activists may try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak.[51]

The originally proposed route would have seen the torch carried through Taipei after leaving Vietnam and before heading for Hong Kong. Taiwan authorities (then led by the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party, however, objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make the portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route.[52] This dispute as well as demands that the flag of the Republic of China and the National Anthem of the Republic of China be banned along the route[53] led the Taiwan authorities to reject the proposal that it be part of the relay route, and the two sides of the Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics into the event.[54]

The Games

Further information: [[:highlights, medal table, and medal winners]]

Opening ceremony

File:BeijingOlimpicGames2008-08-08.jpg
A scene from the opening ceremony.
Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was held at the Beijing National Stadium. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8) on August 8, 2008.[55][56][57] The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture, and here it was a triple eight for the date and one extra for time (close to 08:08:08 pm).[58] The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang.[59] It featured a cast of over 15,000 performers, and was dubbed beforehand as "the most spectacular Olympics Opening Ceremony ever produced".[60]

A rich assembly of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated the ceremony. It opened with the beating of Fou drums for the countdown. Subsequently, a giant scroll was unveiled and became the show's centerpiece. The official song of the 2008 Olympics was performed by Britain's Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan, and was titled You and Me, on a large spinning rendition of the globe.[61] The last recipient in the Olympic Torch relay, former Chinese gymnast Li Ning ignited the cauldron, after being suspended into the air by wires and completing a lap of the National Stadium at Stadium roof height in the air.

The entry parade of the competing athletes differed in order from previous Olympic ceremonies, as the national teams did not enter in order by the host nation's alphabet. Since Chinese does not have an alphabet, teams entered the stadium in order (lowest first) of the number of strokes in their Simplified Chinese character transcriptions; this is a common collation method for the Chinese language, such as the surname stroke order system. As a result, Australia (normally one of the first teams to enter the stadium) became one of the final teams to arrive, as the first character of the Chinese name of Australia (澳大利亚) has 16 strokes. The Olympic traditions of Greece entering first and the host nation (China) entering last were still observed.

The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as spectacular and spellbinding.[62] Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad, called the ceremony "a grand, unprecedented success."[63] A review of the opening ceremony from around the world called it "spectacular and devoid of politics".[64] It was deemed that the real fireworks were too dangerous to film from a helicopter; as such, some footage were generated to provide simulated aerial shots of the scene. Another cosmetic enhancement in China's quest for a perfect Summer Games was using a girl considered a better performer to lip-sync over the singing voice of a less pretty girl during the opening ceremony song Ode to the Motherland.[65] Another portion of the ceremony featured 56 children carrying a large Chinese flag, with 55 of them dressed in traditional costumes of the ethnic minorities of China. The children wearing the ethnic minority costumes were described in the official program as members of these minorities, but it was later revealed that they were actually Han Chinese. [66]

More than 100 sovereigns, heads of state and heads of government as well as 170 Ministers of Sport attended the Beijing Olympic Games.[67]

Closing ceremony

Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony

The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded the Beijing Games on August 24, 2008. It began at 8:00pm China Standard Time (UTC+8), and took place at the Beijing National Stadium.

The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London. Guo Jinlong, the Mayor of Beijing handed over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, followed by a performance organized by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG).[68]

Participating NOCs

Participating nations

All but one (Brunei) of the current 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs)[69] participated. China and the United States had the largest teams, with 639 and 596[70][71] competitors respectively. Several countries were represented at the Games by a single athlete.

Three countries participated for their first time: the Marshall Islands, Montenegro and Tuvalu.

South African swimmer Natalie du Toit, five time gold medalist at the Athens Paralympics in 2004, qualified to compete at the Beijing Olympics, thus making history by becoming the first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games since Olivér Halassy in 1936.[72][73] Natalia Partyka (who was born without a right forearm) competed in Table Tennis for Poland.[74]

TPE

As in the previous Games since 1984, athletes from the Republic of China (Taiwan) are competing at the Olympics as Chinese Taipei (TPE)[75] under the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag and using the National Banner Song as their official anthem. The participation of Taiwan had been in doubt due to disagreements over the designation of the team in the Chinese language, and concerns that Taiwan would march in the Opening Ceremony next to the Chinese Special Administrative Region of Hong Kong.[76] Supporters inside and outside of the venues will not be able to display the flag of the Republic of China.[77]

Participation changes

The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and are participating in the Games.[78][79]

The states of Serbia and Montenegro, which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as Serbia and Montenegro, are now competing separately. The Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007.[79] After the declaration of independence in Kosovo, IOC specified the requirements that Kosovo needs to meet before being recognised by the IOC; most notably, it has to be recognised as independent by the United Nations.[80]

North Korea and South Korea held meetings to discuss the possibility of sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics,[81][82] but the proposal failed, due to disagreements between the two NOCs on the proportion of athletes from the two countries within the team.[citation needed]

On July 24, 2008, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Iraq from competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games due to "political interference by the government in sports."[83][84] On July 29, the IOC reversed its decision and allowed the nation to compete after a pledge by Iraq to ensure "the independence of its national Olympics panel" by instituting fair elections before the end of November. Until then, Iraq's Olympic Organisation will be run by "an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC."[85]

Brunei Darussalam were due to take part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. However, they were disqualified on August 8, having failed to register either of their athletes.[86] The IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement that "it is a great shame and very sad for the athletes who lose out because of the decision by their team not to register them. The IOC tried up until the last minute, midday Friday August 8, 2008, the day of the official opening, to have them register, but to no avail."[87] Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports submitted a Press release why Brunei decided not to participate in Beijing, stated that "one athlete competing in the shot putt event Mohd Yazid Yatimi Yusof (who) has undergone intensive training since March ... injured himself in June (right liotibial strain with mild lateral ministrial knee injury), when he was competing in the Pesta Sukan Kebangsaan (National Sports Festival)". The Brunei Darussalam Olympic Council (BNOC) issued a Press release stating that "it had to wait for approval from the Youth and Sports Department under the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports as to whether Brunei Darussalam could be represented at the Olympic Games".[88] It is also noted that the withdrawal can lead Brunei to being sanctioned and appropriate action will be taken after the closing of the Olympics on August 24.[89]

Georgia announced on August 9, 2008 that it was considering withdrawing from the Beijing Olympic Games due to current military conflict in South Ossetia.[90]

Sports

The program for the Beijing 2008 Games was quite similar to that of the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. The 2008 Olympics saw the return of 28 sports (some of which, such as athletics, aquatics, gymnastics and cycling, were divided into multiple disciplines), and held 302 events (165 men’s events, 127 women's events, and 10 mixed events), one event more in total than in Athens.

Overall, 9 new events were held, which included 2 from the new cycling discipline of BMX. Women competed in the 3000 m steeplechase for the first time. In addition, marathon open water swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometres, were added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis replaced the doubles events. In fencing, women's team foil and women's team sabre replaced men's team foil and women's team épée.[91][92][93][94]

In 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee released pictograms of 35 Olympic disciplines (for some multi-discipline sports, such as athletics and cycling, a single pictogram was released).[95][96] This set of sport icons is named the beauty of seal characters, due to each pictogram's likeness to Chinese seal script.

The following were the 28 sports to be contested at these Games. The number of events contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses (the four aquatic disciplines are also specified).

In addition to the official Olympic sports, the Beijing Organising Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a wushu competition in parallel to the Games. The Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate, with medals awarded in 15 separate disciplines; however, these were not to be added to the official medal tally.[97]

Calendar

In the following calendar for the 2008 Olympic Games, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport are held. Each bullet in these boxes is an event final, the number of bullets per box representing the number of finals that was contested on that day.[98]

Template:2008 Summer Olympics Calendar

Medal count

The reverse side of the medals of the 2008 Summer Olympics: silver (left), gold (center), bronze (right). Each medal has a ring of jade.
Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics medal table

(Host nation is highlighted)

1  China (CHN) 51 21 28 100
2  United States (USA) 36 38 36 110
3  Russia (RUS) 23 21 28 72
4  Great Britain (GBR) 19 13 15 47
5  Germany (GER) 16 10 15 41
6  Australia (AUS) 14 15 17 46
7  South Korea (KOR) 13 10 8 31
8  Japan (JPN) 9 6 10 25
9  Italy (ITA) 8 10 10 28
10  France (FRA) 7 16 17 40

Concerns and controversies

The banner reads: "Human Rights Abuse Cannot Co-exist with Beijing Olympics", picture taken during the opening of the Human Rights Torch Relay event
Main article: Concerns and controversies over the 2008 Summer Olympics

A variety of concerns over the Games, or China's hosting of the Games, have been expressed by various entities; including allegations that China violated its pledge to allow open media access,[99] various alleged human rights violations,[100][101][102] air pollution in both the city of Beijing and in neighbouring areas,[103][104] proposed boycotts,[105][106] warnings of the possibility that the Beijing Olympics could be targeted by terrorist groups,[107] potentially violent disruption from pro-Tibetan protesters,[108] religious persecutions,[109] the banning of ethnic Tibetans from working in Beijing for the duration of the Games,[110] criticisms of policies mandating the electronic surveillance of internationally owned hotels,[111][112][113] displacement of residents,[114] ticket adversities,[115] manhandling of foreign journalists,[116][117] dubious protest zones,[118] as well as alleged harassment, house arrests, forced disappearances, imprisonment, and torture of dissidents and protest applicants.[119][120][121][122][116][123][124]

Additionally, Tibetan independence proponents protested the Games,[125] Steven Spielberg urged a boycott to highlight China's role in the Darfur conflict,[126] and Christian advocates have voiced concerns about the plight of Christians in China.[127][128]

In addition, there are allegations that some members of China's women's gymnastics team were too young to compete under the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique's rules for Olympic eligibility.[129] Previous sources, including reports from Xinhua News Agency and registration lists maintained by the General Administration of Sport of China, gave ages for Chinese gymnasts that would mean they were underage, although Chinese gymnastics officials dismissed these reports as mistaken.[130][131] On August 21, the IOC ordered a probe into the legal ages of double gold medal winning gymnast He Kexin and her fellow teammates.[132] A day after the probe began, the IOC stated that they had confidence that the gold medal winning Chinese gymnasts were eligible to compete at the Beijing Games after reviewing their birth certificates and passports provided by the Chinese government,[133] however, the governing body of gymnastics continued to investigate the situation and had not made a decision on the case as of the Closing Ceremonies.[134]

Legacy

In the short term, the 2008 Olympic Games have been generally accepted by the world's media as a logistic success.[135] Contrary to fears before the game, no terrorists struck Beijing; no athlete protested at the podium; and thanks largely to favorable weather conditions the city had the best air quality in ten years.[136]

For the Chinese people, the Olympics itself, as well as the medals won by Chinese athletes, were a great source of national pride.[137] The Olympics have also bolstered domestic support for the Chinese government, and support for the policies of the Communist Party of China, giving rise to concerns that the state will have more leverage to disperse dissent.[138]

The long-term economic impact is not yet clear, but it is generally expected that there will be no lasting effect on the city due to the game.[139]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ "NOC entry forms received" (Press release). International Olympic Committee. 2008-08-01. Retrieved 2008-08-08. (...) confirmed the qualification of 11,028 athletes, including 363 supplement athletes holding a P card.
  2. ^ "6th Coordination Commission Visit To Begin Tomorrow". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2006-05-20.
  3. ^ "China's coming out party". Toronto Star. 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  4. ^ "2008-The Year of China?". BusinessCenter.TV. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2008-01-02.
  5. ^ Abrahamson, Alan (2008-08-02). ""Absolutely no regrets" in coming to China, IOC president says". NBC. Retrieved 2008-08-02. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Ian Traynor and Jonathan Watts: Merkel says she will not attend opening of Beijing Olympics. Guardian on-line. March 29, 2008
  7. ^ Amnesty International: China: The two faces of the Beijing Olympics. 1 June 2008.
  8. ^ "Do not politicize Olympic Games, warns BOCOG official". Xinhua. 2007-10-19. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  9. ^ "Pakistan's Musharraf criticizes efforts to politicize Olympics". International Herald Tribune. 2008-04-14. Retrieved 2008-08-24.
  10. ^ Mixed legacy likely as China's Olympics conclude, http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080825/ap_on_sp_ol/oly_closing_ceremony;_ylt=AgjrQQDt0S88wMxFEm2g83us0NUE, David Crary, AP, August 25, 2008
  11. ^ http://www.boston.com/sports/articles/2008/08/25/closing_statement/
  12. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/25/content_9706148.htm
  13. ^ "Beijing 2008: Election". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2006-12-18.
  14. ^ "All Beijing-based Olympic venues under construction". BOCOG. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2007-05-11.
  15. ^ The Most Expensive Games In History, Beijing 2008. Retrieved on August 5, 2008.
  16. ^ Olympic Venues, Beijing 2008. Retrieved on May 15, 2006.
  17. ^ a b "The Olympic Games en route for Beijing". International Olympic Committee. 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2007-07-16.
  18. ^ ArchitectureWeek - Design - China's Banner Stadium - 2002.0501
  19. ^ [1]
  20. ^ Jo Baker. "Beijing Terminal 3 by Foster". ArchitectureWeek.com. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  21. ^ "38 public transit routes to the Olympic venues". BOCOG. 2007-01-22. Retrieved 2007-01-29. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ AUSmotive.com (2008-08-02). "Volkswagen claims 'Green' medal at 2008 Olympic Games". Retrieved 2008-08-02.
  23. ^ Andrew Jacobs (2008-04-14). "Traffic Beijing Stops Construction for Olympics". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
  24. ^ a b Stephen Wade (2008-06-20). "Beijing sets restrictions on cars during Olympics". National Examiner. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
  25. ^ Reuters (2008-06-23). "Beijing to launch Olympic 'odd-even' car ban". ABC news. Retrieved 2008-06-23. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  26. ^ "Rogge's Message for Beijing Olympics Emblem Unveiling". People's Daily Online. 2003-08-03. Retrieved 2006-12-19.
  27. ^ "'One World One Dream' selected as the Theme Slogan for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games". BOCOG. 2005-12-25. Retrieved 2007-05-05. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "Fuwa Fact Sheet". Retrieved 2008-05-14.
  29. ^ Dickson, Glen (8/4/2008). "Network goes to great lengths to pump Beijing Olympic Games action to myriad pipes". Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved 2008-08-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  30. ^ "Seeing clearly: Panasonic ushers in first HDTV Game". China Daily. 2007-07-06. Retrieved 2008-03-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 2008, pg.73
  32. ^ Stelter, Brian (2008-07-21). "Networks Fight Shorter Olympic Leash". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-21.
  33. ^ "Olympics enter the '2.0' era - CNN.com". Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  34. ^ "Beijing LIVE". Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  35. ^ Beijing Live, Beijing 2008. Retrieved on August 9, 2008.
  36. ^ "BBC SPORT $#124; Olympics $#124; Cycling $#124; Video — Delighted Cooke gets gold medal". Page last updated at 13:07 GMT, Sunday, 10 August 2008 14:07 UK. Retrieved 2008-08-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ http://community.livejournal.com/olympicgames08/28771.html
  38. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1nmR8Ndj7g
  39. ^ http://www.danwei.org/2008_beijing_olympic_games/china_copywrites_the_olympics.php
  40. ^ http://olympics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/for-olympics-china-ramps-up-copyright-infringement-campaign/
  41. ^ http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-06/13/content_8359170.htm
  42. ^ http://english.ipr.gov.cn/ipr/en/info/Article.jsp?a_no=142611&col_no=926&dir=200711
  43. ^ "Beijing 2008: BOCOG Announces Olympic Torch Relay Route". International Olympic Committee. 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2007-04-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  44. ^ "Officials Expect Olympic Torch to Continue on Route".
  45. ^ "Britain sends mandarins to China on subtle mission". The Times. 2008-04-25. Retrieved 2007-04-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  46. ^ a b "Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay Planned Route and Torch Design unveiled". BOCOG. 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2007-04-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  47. ^ Bremner, Charles (2008-04-07). "Tibet protests force organisers to snuff out Olympic flame in Paris". The Times. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  48. ^ "Confusion strikes US torch relay". BBC News. 2008-04-09. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  49. ^ "China to build highway on Mt Everest for 2008 Olympics". The Hindu. 2007-06-20. Retrieved 2007-06-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  50. ^ "Climbers banned from Everest as China seeks to stop protests on summit". The Independent. 2008-03-17. Retrieved 2008-03-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  51. ^ "China closes its side of Everest to climbers". CNN. 2008-03-12. Retrieved 2008-03-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  52. ^ "Taiwan rejects 'domestic' Olympic torch route". Taiwan Journal. 2007-05-04. Retrieved 2007-08-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  53. ^ BBC NEWS Asia-Pacific | Olympic torch will bypass Taiwan
  54. ^ "China blames Taiwan for scuttling Olympic torch relay through Taipei, labels 'vile precedent'". Yahoo! Canada Sports. 2007-09-21. Retrieved 2007-09-24. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  55. ^ "Tickets Information — The official ticketing website of the BEIJING 2008 Olympic Games".
  56. ^ "Beijing Confirms the Opening Ceremony Time for 2008 Olympics", Travel China Guide. Retrieved on August 2, 2008
  57. ^ "Opening Ceremony plan released". Official website. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  58. ^ "The Number Eight And The Chinese". Retrieved 2007-04-22.
  59. ^ http://en.beijing2008.cn/culture/ceremonies/n214143744.shtml
  60. ^ Olympics opening ceremony to have 15,000 performers -- The Live Feed
  61. ^ FACTBOX: Fears, foul-ups and triumphs at past Olympic openings
  62. ^ "Press hails 'greatest ever' Olympic opening show". Agence France-Presse. 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  63. ^ Verbruggen: Opening Ceremony a grand success
  64. ^ Olympics opening ceremony reviews -- The Live Feed
  65. ^ Olympic opening uses girl's voice, not face
  66. ^ By Richard Spencer in Beijing Last Updated: 11:04AM BST 15 Aug 2008. "Beijing Olympics: 'Ethnic' children exposed as fakes in opening ceremony — Telegraph". Retrieved 2008-08-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  67. ^ IOC President to meet with world leaders
  68. ^ Grand spectacle closes Beijing's Olympics
  69. ^ "National Olympic Committees". International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 2008-03-11.
  70. ^ 2008 United States Olympic Team Entered Into XXVIV Olympic Games in Beijing, China, USOC, July 24, 2008
  71. ^ Asian Americans Going for the Gold in.... AsianWeek. Retrieved on 2008-08-11.
  72. ^ "Dreams carry Natalie Du Toit to Beijing", The Telegraph, May 4, 2008
  73. ^ Du Toit, who lost leg in scooter accident, will swim in Beijing Games, Reuters, May 3, 2008
  74. ^ "Natalia: Paralympic AND Olympic athlete". Retrieved 2008-07-15.
  75. ^ Reinstatement in the Olympic Movement, Chinese Olympic Committee, March 27, 2004
  76. ^ "Taiwan clears Games hurdle", The Australian, August 4, 2008
  77. ^ "Taiwanese plan to skirt Olympics flag ban", International Herald Tribune - Asia-Pacific, August 12, 2008
  78. ^ "Robert Meets IOC President". ONOC. 2005-04-02. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  79. ^ a b "Two new National Olympic Committees on board!". International Olympic Committee. 2007-07-06. Retrieved 2007-07-08. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  80. ^ "IOC: Kosovo Olympic Team 'Unlikely'". Associated Press. 2008-02-18. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  81. ^ "Koreas 'to unify Olympics teams'". BBC. 2006-05-14. Retrieved 2006-12-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  82. ^ "Two Koreas Make Progress in Creation of Unified Team". International Olympic Committee. 2006-09-05. Retrieved 2006-09-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  83. ^ "Iraq banned from Summer Olympics". CNN. 2008-07-24. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  84. ^ "Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics". BBC Sport. 2008-07-24. Retrieved 2008-07-24.
  85. ^ IOC lifts Iraq's Olympic suspension
  86. ^ "Brunei Darussalam excluded from Beijing Olympic Games". Xinhua. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  87. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK32791920080808 Brunei excluded from Beijing Games
  88. ^ http://www.bt.com.bn/en/sport/2008/08/10/brunei_not_in_china_because
  89. ^ http://www.ranoadidas.com/?p=1576
  90. ^ "24.com - Olympics 2008 - Georgia poised to leave Beijing". 09/08/2008 17:00. Retrieved 2008-08-25. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  91. ^ The fencing programme again included all six individual events and four team events, though the team events were 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.
  92. ^ "List of decisions of the 2006 General Assembly" (PDF) (pdf). Federation Internationale d'Escrime. 2006-04-08. Retrieved 2007-04-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  93. ^ "Beijing 2008: Games Programme Finalised". International Olympic Committee. 2006-04-27. Retrieved 2006-05-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  94. ^ Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008, International Olympic Committee. Retrieved on May 15, 2006.
  95. ^ "Pictograms of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games". BOCOG. 2006. Retrieved 2008-08-22.
  96. ^ "Pictograms of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games unveiled". BOCOG. 2006-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-22. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  97. ^ Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 to begin August 21 - Beijing 2008, 05/08/08
  98. ^ "Olympic Games Competition Schedule". BOCOG. Retrieved 2007-07-05.
  99. ^ Two Concerns for Olympics - Air and Access - NYTimes.com
  100. ^ "Protestors Rally in Europe on Eve of China Olympics". Deutsche Welle. 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  101. ^ "China's un-Olympic human rights record". Calgary Herald. 2008-08-09. Retrieved 2008-08-09. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |1= (help)
  102. ^ "Canadian protests over China's human-rights record continue prior to Games". Haaretz. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  103. ^ "Ji Xinpeng: Beijing welcomes you with its blue sky". China Daily. 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-08.
  104. ^ "Beijing failing to clear the air". The Daily Yomiuri. 2008-07-27. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  105. ^ Kosyrev, Dmitry (2008-08-06). "Beijing Olympics as a diplomatic convention". RIA Novosti. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  106. ^ Newman, Saul. "Why Grandpa boycotted the Olympics". Haaretz. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  107. ^ Interpol says Olympic terror attack 'real possibility'. The Globe and Mail. Accessed: April 25, 2008
  108. ^ Interpol chief warns of Olympic terror threat. Yahoo! Eurosport UK. Accessed: August 8, 2008
  109. ^ O'Sullivan, Mike (2008-08-10). "Bush Olympic Visit Highlights Religion in China". Voice of America.
  110. ^ Seattle Times article
  111. ^ AFP: China plans to spy on Olympic hotel guests: US senator
  112. ^ Sen. Brownback says China monitoring Internet access in hotels - Los Angeles Times
  113. ^ The Associated Press: Senator: China spying on Internet use in hotels
  114. ^ Fan, Maureen (2008-02-20). "China Defends Relocation Policy". The Washington Post. The Washington Post Company. Retrieved 2008-08-09. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  115. ^ "British fraud ran Beijing ticket scam". theage.com.au. 2008-08-06. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  116. ^ a b "After Friend Disappears, Ji Sizun Confronts Police and is Detained Himself". The Washington Post. 2008-08-12. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  117. ^ "Chinese police rough up British TV crew at Olympics". Associated Press. Google News. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-17. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  118. ^ "No Permits, No Protests In Beijing's Special 'Pens'". The Washington Post. 2008-08-15. Retrieved 2008-08-16. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  119. ^ "Zeng Jinyan - The TIME 100," TIME Magazine, May 14, 2007
  120. ^ "Blogger put in prison for criticizing the Olympic Games" The Observers by France, August 15, 2008
  121. ^ "Chinese rights activist Zeng Jinyan disappears" International Herald Tribune, August 9, 2008
  122. ^ "Blogger put under house arrest to prevent him going to Beijing". Reporters Without Borders.
  123. ^ "Police Detain Would-Be Olympic Protesters". Human Rights Watch. 2008-08-13. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  124. ^ Dáša Van Der Horst (2008-08-06). "Censored!". The Prague Post.
  125. ^ "Protest attempt at Olympic event". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-08-09.
  126. ^ "China 'is fuelling war in Darfur'". BBC News. Retrieved 2008-07-12.
  127. ^ "Persecution of Protestant Christians in the approach to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games". Christian Solidarity Worldwide. 2008-01-06. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
  128. ^ "Chinese bishop explains reasons for participating in Olympic opening ceremonies". Catholic News Agency. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-10.
  129. ^ "Most Memorable Moments of the 2008 Beijing Olympics". AsianWeek. Retrieved on 2008-08-29.
  130. ^ "Earlier state media report listed gymnast He's age as 13"
  131. ^ "FIG complies with IOC, seeks more proof of Chinese gymnasts' ages"
  132. ^ Olympic probe into age-fixing of Chinese gymnasts
  133. ^ Ilsi, Clemente (2008-08-23). "IOC Says Gymnasts are Age-OK". Retrieved 2008-08-23.
  134. ^ Garcia, Marlen (2008-08-24). "China offers more papers on gymnasts' ages". Retrieved 2008-08-25.
  135. ^ Skalij, Wally (2008-09-02). "Beijing Olympics were logistically successful — and sneaky too". Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  136. ^ "China Launches Olympic-Size Headache". 2008-08-20. Retrieved 2008-08-31.
  137. ^ "The Future of Beijing's Cleaner Air". 2008-09-02.
  138. ^ Gardner, Dinah (2008-08-25). "China's Olympic legacy". Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  139. ^ "Beijing's economy - Going for gold". 2008-08-25. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2008 Summer Olympics.
Preceded by Summer Olympic Games
Host City
XXIX Olympiad (2008) 		Succeeded by

Template:Link FA Template:Link FA Template:Link FA

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=2008_Summer_Olympics&oldid=236184581"