Olympic Games

FIFA dress code rules Iran's girls out of Olympics

2010-04-05T10:26:00.001-07:00

FIFA dress code rules Iran's girls out of Olympics

ZURICH (AP) — Iran's girls football team has been kicked out of the Youth Olympic Games because FIFA rules prevent players wearing an Islamic head scarf.

Thailand was nominated on Monday to replace the barred Iranians, the Asian Football Confederation said on its Web site.

The Asian governing body said the hijab scarf -- worn to observe Islamic dress code -- was not allowed under FIFA rules relating to on-field equipment.

Iran was scheduled to compete in a six-nation tournament for girls at the games being held Aug. 12-25 in Singapore.

Around 3,600 athletes aged 14-18 will compete in 26 sports at the inaugural Youth Summer Games.

Debate over Olympic ticket spending continues

2010-04-04T09:23:00.001-07:00

Debate over Olympic ticket spending continues

Vision Vancouver Coun. Heather Deal says she has no regrets about the city spending almost $170,000 on tickets for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

But COPE councillor Ellen Wordsworth, who paid for the Olympic ticket she used, says she thinks the money could have been used better. "Wait a minute, didn't we just cut $61 million from the budget -- and we're closing services and increasing fees?" said Woodsworth.

"About $170,000 can do a lot of things in the city," she said.

All the details about the spending and who got the tickets is in a report going to council Tuesday.

Also included is similar information on the additional $18,920 the city spent on tickets for the Paralympics.

Of the 1,555 Olympic tickets and 534 Paralympic tickets, only two went unallocated.

2012 Olympics: What it will mean to the BBC

2010-02-26T19:24:00.000-08:00

While the Olympic Games in Athens and Beijing garnered huge red-button audiences for the BBC, the 2012 event is expected to be the largest in the corporation's history.

The games will see the BBC offer more choice than ever before. Back in 2000, before interactive TV had arrived, the broadcaster showed about 250 hours of the Sydney games. By 2004, when it had red-button, interactive technology, it showed more than 1,000 hours. At Beijing 2008 this rose to 2,500 hours.

Ben Gallop, head of interactive and Formula 1, at BBC Sport, says the aim for 2012 is to show every bit of sport as it happens, which equates to about 5,000 hours of viewing.

"We'll be thinking about red-button services, but we're also thinking about IPTV [television over the internet] – that's what's exciting over the next few years and we expect a lot to change. We're also looking at how we might be able to use social media in our services in a way that we haven't been able to up until now."

US women to face Canada in Olympic ice hockey final

2010-02-22T20:46:00.000-08:00

US women to face Canada in Olympic ice hockey final

The United States will play Canada in Thursday's final of the women's ice hockey after they both enjoyed comfortable semi-final victories.
Monique Lamoureux scored three while Caitlin Cahow, Karen Thatcher and Kelli Stack each scored one and made one assist as America thrashed Sweden 9-1.
Meghan Agosta set a new record for most goals in a single Games with her ninth as Canada's defeated Finland 5-0.
Haley Irwin scored two as the reigning Olympics champions won with ease.
Finnish netminder Noora Raty produced numerous outstanding saves in amongst the 45 she recorded to keep the score respectable.
However, she could do nothing to stop Carloine Oullette adding a fifth from close range towards the end of the final period.
US, who led 5-1 going into the third period, avenged their 2006 semi-final defeat by Sweden, to reach their first Olympic final since 2002, when they were beaten 3-1 by Canada.
Finland will play Sweden in the bronze-medal match on Thursday.

Olympics tops 'American Idol' in ratings

2010-02-18T10:25:00.001-08:00

(AP) – 1 hour ago

NEW YORK — Shani Davis, Lindsey Vonn and Shaun White are the true American Idols.

In a startling turnaround from the night before, the Olympics clobbered Fox's "American Idol" in the ratings Wednesday night. The Nielsen Co. said that during the one hour the two shows competed against one another, the Olympics were seen by 30.1 million people while 18.4 million watched "American Idol."

It was the first time in six years that anything has beaten the nation's most popular program head to head in the ratings.

Davis, Vonn and White were all heavily promoted American contenders who won gold medals Wednesday.

On Tuesday, "Idol" beat the Olympics by nearly 4 million viewers.

Elder Pharma’s Uttarakhand facility on stream

Mumbai-based Elder Pharmaceuticals has commenced commercial operations at its new U.S. FDA compliant manufacturing facility at Langa Road in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), which is an excise benefit zone.

The company plans to move manufacturing of all syrup-based products to this Rs.150-crore facility. These products are now either being manufactured or being outsourced.

Production lines

The facility has production lines for liquid orals, sterile injectables, cephalosporin block for tablets as well as dry powder injectables.

Canadians revel in Bilodeau's Olympic success

2010-02-15T10:28:00.000-08:00

Ontario's Family Day unofficially was extended across the country Monday as millions of proud Canadians continue to come together to celebrate the athletic achievement of moguls skier Alexandre Bilodeau.

The country remains abuzz after the 22-year-old captured an Olympic gold medal on Sunday night in Vancouver, the first by a Canuck in a Games hosted by Canada in 34 years.

"Bravo Alex Bravo!" speedskater Charles Hamelin, a medal favourite at these Games, said of his Canadian teammate on Twitter. "He is my hero, I am so happy for him! I'm eager to congratulate him in person!"

That could happen Monday as Bilodeau will receive his gold medal at a ceremony in downtown Vancouver.

Free speech in Canada on display at Olympic Games

2010-02-14T21:08:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — This Olympic flame — a mop of fiery gold ribbon attached to a used toilet plunger — arrived downtown to wild cheers from a sign-waving crowd packed into a local community center.

There were emotional speeches blasting Olympic organizers for the $6 billion cost to stage the games and the obligatory song, a biting parody of the Canadian national anthem.

Just two years removed from perhaps the most restrictive Olympics in Beijing, where some aspiring demonstrators were jailed for even applying for required protest permits and access to the websites of some civil liberties organizations were blocked, Vancouver is offering a starkly different approach to free expression.

London 2012 appoints Director of Culture

2010-01-29T23:18:00.001-08:00

The London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) and the Cultural Olympiad Board have appointed Ruth Mackensie as the Director of Culture for the 2012 Games.

Leading the LOCOG Culture team, Ruth will report to Cultural Olympiad Chair Tony Hall and the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Board.

She will be supported by a team of artistic advisers who will continue in their current roles: Martin Duncan, Craig Hassall, Sir Brian McMaster and Alex Poots.

Currently an expert adviser on broadcasting and cultural policy for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, Ruth brings a wealth of experience. Previous roles include first General Director of the Manchester International Festival, Artistic Director of Chichester Festival Theatre and General Director, Scottish Opera.

She has also worked on a consultancy basis for the Barbican Centre, Tate, BBC, London Symphony Orchestra and Young Vic. She was awarded an OBE for her services to the theatre in 1995.

Making the announcement today, Tony Hall said: 'This appointment means leadership plus teamwork. The Cultural Olympiad will move forward under Ruth Mackenzie’s expert guidance, and she will be supported by four people who know all there is to know about putting a celebration like this together, both creatively and administratively. I’m very excited about what this team under Ruth will deliver.'

Seb Coe, Chair of LOCOG said: 'This is the final piece in the jigsaw of a project that now has the best possible level of governance in the Cultural Olympiad Board; a strong team here at LOCOG; significant funding in place through the Olympic Lottery Distributor and further partners; and projects being developed in conjunction with key partners across the arts and culture sector.

'I’m thrilled that we have such strong artistic talent on board, and I know Ruth and the team deliver a truly special Cultural Olympiad.'

Bridge lifted into place at London 2012 Rowing venue

2010-01-29T23:17:00.000-08:00

A new finish line bridge has been lifted into place at Dorney Lake, the venue for the London 2012 Rowing events.

Dorney Lake is already a world-class rowing venue with a 2,200m eight-lane rowing course. It has a separate lane alongside it that competitors use to warm up and return to the start of the course after their race.

Construction work is well underway to enhance the venue’s existing facilities to bring it up to the required standards for hosting events during the London 2012 Games. A key part of this work has been completed now the new 50m finish line bridge has been lifted into place.Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘Dorney Lake is a first-class venue and the enhancements we are delivering will create the best possible facilities for the world’s best athletes to use in 2012. Lifting in a new finish line bridge completes a key part of the enhancement works and keeps us on track to deliver improved facilities well before the Games begin in 2012.’

Further enhancement works are continuing on site. These include the construction of a cut-through between the competition lake and the return lane, with a new bridge over the cut-through, and the upgrade of the existing gravel/stone access road up to the competition venue for use during the Games.

Olympic Park parklands project underway

2010-01-29T23:16:00.000-08:00

Work has started to create the areas of parklands within the Olympic Park.

These open spaces will provide a colourful and festival atmosphere during the Games and will become the largest new urban park in the UK for more than 100 years.

More than 4,000 trees will be planted across the Olympic Park and Olympic Village, along with 300,000 wetlands plants and hundreds of thousands of plants and bulbs in varied parklands, including wooded hills, meadows, ponds, lawns, gardens and wet woodlands.

There will also be ‘hanging gardens’ 10m above the ground on the huge footbridge that links the new Stratford City development with the Park.

A tree-lined road in the north of the Park has been modelled on The Mall and Birdcage Walk next to St James’s and Hyde Park, with distinctively designed lights, bollards and traffic management so visitors feel like they are within the Park.

Olympic Delivery Authority Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘We are cleaning up industrial land and creating the green backdrop for the London 2012 Games that in legacy will become the UK’s largest new urban park in over a century.

‘Inspired by the original Victorian parks, the meadows, gardens, woods and river walks in this new “great Park” will create a fantastic public space for people and wildlife right at the heart of the transformation of east London.’

Olympic gold medallist sees Velodrome steel structure complete

2010-01-29T23:14:00.000-08:00

The 6,000-seat Velodrome will host the Olympic and Paralympic Track Cycling events in 2012 and is on track to be one of the first venues to be completed in the Olympic Park in early 2011. After the Games the Velodrome will be used by elite athletes and the local community and be part of a VeloPark that will include a BMX track, mountain bike trail and a road-racing circuit.

Jamie Staff said: ‘It was great to visit the London 2012 Velodrome site and I was hugely impressed by the progress being made. It was good to see at first hand how the venue is being designed and built to create a great crowd atmosphere and deliver the best possible conditions for track cyclists. I’m sure this will be a perfect venue for Team GB to continue to hit gold in 2012.'

Construction work started on the Velodrome in March 2009 – one of the last of the ‘big five’ Park venues to get underway. Now the Velodrome steel structure has been completed, work has started to install the distinctive double-curved cable-net roof.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: ‘The completion of the Velodrome steel structure gives us an exciting glimpse of what will not only be a world-class venue for the Games and legacy, but another striking piece of architecture for the Olympic Park.

Jamie Staff, gold medallist in the Team Sprint at the Beijing 2008 Games, visited the London 2012 Velodrome this week to mark the completion of the venue’s steel structure.

‘The Olympic Stadium and Aquatics Centre are already firm fixtures on the east London skyline but the Velodrome taking shape has created a new focal point in the north of the Olympic Park. This year will be the toughest so far across the site, and we now turn our attentions to the lifting of the huge cable-net roof of the Velodrome, a key engineering challenge, which will help crown this spectacular venue.’

The Olympic Delivery Authority has published a document – ‘On track’ – that shows how the Velodrome has taken shape over the past year.

Christians plan to both enjoy the Olympics and protest it

2010-01-21T09:38:00.001-08:00

Canwest News Service

When it comes to next month’s Winter Olympics, Metro Vancouver’s 1,300 Christian congregations aren’t exactly sure whether to welcome or protest it. So they’re doing both.

The two out of five residents of Metro Vancouver who identify with the Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox denominations are being urged to greet the Olympic onslaught with “radical hospitality,” which includes reaching out to the disadvantaged.

Some Christian denominations will be throwing open their doors to February’s flood of Olympic visitors with free coffee, Olympic pins, Internet access and a quiet place to meditate. Many church members are also offering travellers free places to stay.

Some of those same denominations will be holding demonstrations and workshops to raise the profile of the city’s homeless during the multi-billion dollar Olympics, as well as draw attention to sex-trade workers whom they are calling victims of “human trafficking.”

If some Christian activists have their way, the most popular T-shirt to emerge out of the Olympic Games, which they argue typically places prostitutes in high demand, will be the one reading, “Buying sex is not a sport.”

Mixed tennis and more women's cycling in 2012 Olympics

2009-12-10T19:36:00.001-08:00

LAUSANNE — London 2012 will host a mixed doubles tennis event for the first time in the Olympic Games as well as more women's cycling, the International Olympic Committee announced Thursday.

But the changes, made in a bid to increase the prominence of women's sport, will spell the end of the individual cycling track pursuit races at the Olympics, the IOC said after an executive board meeting.

The changes will increase the number of women cyclists at the Olympics from 35 in Beijing to 84 -- 45 percent of the track cyclists instead of about a fifth - by introducing more track events for women.

The changes were made under a "commitment to increase women's participation," the IOC said in a statement, although it will make little difference to tennis.

"The inclusion of a tennis mixed doubles event will not increase the current number of athletes and will bring added value to the Olympic programme by providing another opportunity for men and women to compete together on the same field of play," the IOC added.

In cycling, women will compete in sprint, team sprint, team keirin, team pursuit and new omnium events, while individual pursuit, points race and madison events will be dropped altogether

IOC president Jacques Rogge defended the changes, underlining that they followed a recommendation from the International Cycling Union.

"Of course the concerned riders regret that, this is perfectly understandable, but the board of UCI considered that the new format will be far more appealing," said Rogge.

Despite the bid to increase the place for women's competition, the IOC has so far turned down women's ski jumping in the Winter Olympics.

Rogge argued that the cycling and ski-jumping issues were different, claiming that there were too few women involved in ski jumping at international level and that the standard for most of them lagged too far behind men.

"We considered that there was not enough quality... but we are considering definitely to include them in Sochi should the progress they are making were to continue," Rogge explained.

"We'll include them as well in the first Youth winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck in 2012, so that generation will hopefully be jumping in Sochi." http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gT1hYwhEuq0GtZ0b5pEVB8brrJ-Q

The Olympic monopoly and why it harms sport

2009-11-19T08:17:00.000-08:00

The howls of outrage from the Olympic movement over David Crawford's report into the future of Australian sport reflect the fact that Crawford has made some telling points in his analysis of how sport is funded in this country.

The report was described this week by the Australian Olympic Committee chief, John Coates, as poorly informed and an insult to past Olympic champions, but it is exactly what the Federal Government sought when it appointed Crawford to do the job: an analysis of sports funding from a business perspective.

And one of the things it highlights is the fact that Australian taxpayers are subsidising a global sporting franchise. source: http://www.smh.com.au/business/the-olympic-monopoly-and-why-it-harms-sport-20091119-iowz.html

Ramzi stripped off his Olympic gold medal for doping

2009-11-19T00:17:00.000-08:00

London Rashid Ramzi has been stripped of his 1,500-meter Olympic gold medal for doping, officials with knowledge of the decision said on Wednesday.

Ramzi was one of five athletes from the 2008 Beijing Games who tested positive in April for CERA, an advanced version of the blood-boosting drug EPO, in new tests using retroactive blood samples.

On Tuesday, Italian cyclist Davide Rebellin was stripped of his silver medal in the Beijing road race for a positive CERA test.

The other athletes from Beijing who tested positive were German cyclist Stefan Schumacher, Croatian 800-meter runner Vanja Perisic, and Greek race walker Athanasia Tsoumeleka. They did not win medals.

An official announcement on all five athletes was expected later Wednesday from the International Olympic Committee.

Three officials with knowledge of the rulings told the AP that the 29-year-old Ramzi had been disqualified. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcements had not yet been made.

Two officials said Ramzi was expected to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The Moroccan-born Ramzi was the only gold medalist from Beijing caught using performance-enhancing drugs. He gave Bahrain its first Olympic track and field gold medal with victory in the 1,500.

He could also now face a two-year ban from the International Association of Athletics Federations. Under IOC rules, he also is banned from the 2012 London Olympics.

Asbel Kipruto Kiprop of Kenya stands to be upgraded from silver to gold in the 1,500. Nicolas Willis of New Zealand could go from bronze to silver, and fourth-place finisher Mehdi Baala of France would get the bronze.

The IOC previously disqualified nine athletes for doping at the Beijing Games. They included Ukrainian heptathlete Lyudmila Blonska who was stripped of her silver medal, and North Korean shooter Kim Jong Su, whose silver and bronze medals were revoked.

A sixth athlete was initially found positive in the retesting process, but women’s weightlifter Yudelquis Contreras was cleared by the Dominican Olympic Committee after the “B” sample came back negative.

Fighting for our Olympic future

2009-11-19T00:15:00.000-08:00

Olympic sports could receive a heavy blow aimed straight at the heart if David Crawford's suggestions of government funding being aimed at more "popular" sports are adhered to.

But an Olympic lobby group made up of top administrators and athletes is not going to go down without a fight.

Heavyweight sports such as AFL, cricket and rugby are now all vying for government funding. But it could mean the end to our sporting success at the London Olympics in 2012 and beyond if we don't stand up as a nation and say that we love watching our athletes going for gold.

Being an Olympic athlete from a sport that relies heavily on government funding, I feel the Crawford Report undervalues the proud Australian Olympic movement. I'm hoping that the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, will be in the Olympic corner for this content.

Ms Ellis has to decide what Australians really want and what is important. Do we want to watch sports that are played frequently throughout the year? Or do we want to see our athletes mixing it with the superpowers of America, Russia and China and bringing back a swag of medals in a diverse range of sports like archery, diving or track and field?

Which events encourage the youth of today to get out there and have a go? Surely the Olympics capture the imagination of our children and inspire them to follow their dreams, particularly females who are massively underrepresented in the "popular" sports. Who could forget the emotion of Sally Mcllelan in the apparently "un-Australian" sport of the 100m hurdles at the Beijing Olympics?

The panel that constructed the Crawford Report is weighted heavily towards professional sports, with all contributors bar one (Pam Tye who is president of hockey) being linked to a football code. This to me is hugely biased.

Their argument is that sports such as surf lifesaving, AFL, rugby and surfing encompass the national psyche and the "spirit of Australia" and they will encourage more participants if funding is increased. Sure they introduce large numbers of young Australians to healthy living and life-long physical activity, but these sports also receive huge sponsorship deals through broadcasting avenues.

Without increased government funding for the next Olympics, Aussie athletes will struggle to compete against nations that fully support their athletes. Sure we do it for the love of it, but without that help we will no longer be competing on a level playing field.

Australia has a proud Olympic history and one which we need to support. We are one of only three nations to have competed at every summer Olympic Games, and a country which definitely punches above its weight.

Do we want a reoccurrence of the 1976 Montreal Olympics where there was a huge uproar after Australian athletes came home without a single gold medal?

It is known that Mr Crawford is a businessman and his success in reforming sports to make them financially sound is hugely creditable. But I'm not so sure Australians will accept this approach, especially when we are a nation that loves it when our "underdogs" become World or Olympic champions.

The effects of Olympic success reverberate across the world, leading to countless business opportunities and doors to political leaders opening.

If Mr Crawford's aims are focussed on encouraging the community to participate in sport, then diverting funding away from Olympic sports is not the answer.

As punches are thrown left, right and centre, I hope that the Australian tradition of a fair go prevails.

http://blogs.watoday.com.au/sallystandsup/2009/11/19/olympicboutto.html

Akshay to be bearer of Olympic Torch

2009-11-17T22:13:00.001-08:00

Akshay Kumar: An Olympic torch bearer

2009-11-17T08:20:00.000-08:00

Akshay Kumar met the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on the latter's visit to India. The actor poses with the Olympic torch for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic and Paralympic games. source: http://movies.rediff.com/

Scots politicians told to stay out of Olympic football

2009-03-05T21:56:00.000-08:00

GLASGOW (AFP) — Members of the Scottish Parliament have been told to stay out of the row over whether there should be a British football team at the 2012 London Olympics.

A Scottish Parliament committee agreed Tuesday to write to world football governing body FIFA to seek clarification on the position of a united UK team taking part in three years' time.

However, the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and their counterparts in Wales and Northern Ireland remain adamantly opposed to the concept.

They fear the creation of British team would, despite FIFA assurances to the contrary, jeopardise the independent status of the four Home Nations (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and ultimately lead to the creation of a single UK team for all international football.

The English Football Association, whose players could expect to dominate a British team, are behind plans to field a unified team at the 2012 Games.

SFA chief executive Gordon Smith warned Wednesday that FIFA would not take kindly to political interference, saying: "If there is one thing that FIFA dislikes, it is political involvement in football issues.

"This is something that we would, of course, have told the members of the committee had they sought to ask us our views.

"It is also the case that, if they write to FIFA, then they will undoubtedly get a view that they have no issue with a one-off Team GB competing at the London Olympics.

"However, I would have thought that politicians would understand politics better than anyone," said Smith, who stressed FIFA could yet change their stance. "As we have made clear again and again it is not the view of the current FIFA members that matters - it is the views of members in the future that will count.

"Again, had we been asked, we would have made this clear."

Smith said politicians and the British Olympic Association should give up on the idea of a British team.

"Fans are against Team GB, players are against Team GB and three out of four governing bodies are against Team GB.

"It is time that people at Holyrood, Westminster and the BOA stopped treating this issue as a political football and let football govern football.

"For the avoidance of any doubt - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are resolutely opposed to Team GB."

Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved.

Economic downturn won't affect economic boost from Olympics: finance minister

2009-03-05T21:53:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — Money is tight now but the global recession won't reduce the much-touted $10-billion economic impact of the 2010 Olympic Games, Finance Minister Colin Hansen insisted Wednesday.

He said the severe downturn might affect who comes to B.C. for the Games but doubts it will change the anticipated economic boost.

"The recession will have an impact but I still think the net economic benefit to the province will be in excess of $10 billion," Hansen said in an interview.

A 2002 study from InterVISTAS Consulting estimated hosting the Games and expanding the Vancouver convention centre would generate more than $10 billion in economic activity and create more than 200,000 jobs over 20 years.

Hansen said the government has commissioned a new study to update those figures in the current economy but doesn't expect major changes.

He noted the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee will still spend its operating budget of $1.7 billion while venue construction adds another $600 million to that total.

Hansen also added items like the $110 million Richmond spent on the Olympic Oval, the $600-million Sea-to-Sky Highway project that some people feel should be included and estimated Olympic sponsor spending of hundreds of millions of dollars.

"Then you look at the economic impact of 250,000 visitors coming for the Games and the multiplier effects of that and the benefits quickly add up," he said.

Hansen said different people may buy tickets for Games events now but demand remains very strong.

"Maybe some people can't afford to come now but there's no shortage of people coming behind them to fill their spot," he said. "Every ticket that's available for sale will get sold."

Hansen said the recession might cause fewer media to visit B.C. to cover the Games next year but doesn't expect that would have a significant negative economic impact.

Business Council of B.C. executive vice-president Jock Finlayson said the recession could reduce visitation to B.C. during the Games but doubts it will be a big drop from previous expectations.

"It's probably a fairly affluent audience [that would come] so they may be in a better position to keep to their plans in this economy," he said.

bconstantineau@vancouversun.com

Al Michaels joins 2010 Olympics' on-air team

2009-03-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Veteran broadcaster Al Michaels will host NBC's daytime Winter Olympics coverage from Vancouver in 2010, the network said Thursday.

The assignment will mark the 30th anniversary of Michaels' famed call at the Lake Placid Olympics -- "Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" -- during the USA men's hockey team's upset victory over the USSR. Sports Illustrated voted the moment as the greatest in 20th-century sports history.

This will be Michaels' first Olympic broadcast job in 22 years.

Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSTRE5250SL20090306

Michael Phelps apologises for Marijuana-smoking picture

2009-02-03T22:04:00.000-08:00

Michael Phelps apologises for Marijuana-smoking picture

Los Angeles, Feb 3 (PTI) After photos of him smoking marijuana surfaced in the British newspaper 'News of the World' Olympic Gold medal winner Michael Phelps has acknowledged the authenticity of the photographs while apologising for the "youthful and inappropriate " behaviour, reported People magazine."I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," the Olympic swimming champion said Sunday in a statement released by his marketing agency 'Octagon'.
" I'm 23 years old, and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again," he said.
The published picture is claimed to have been taken on November 6, 2008 while Phelps was visiting his alleged girlfriend Jordan Matthews at a house party.
"Michael came to visit Jordan but ended up just getting wasted every night," a source told 'News of the World'.
"You could tell Michael had smoked before. He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do," the source further added. PTI CORR

‘CWG 2010 should not be compared with Beijing 2008’

2009-01-23T20:55:00.000-08:00

Jan. 23: Sports Minister M.S. Gill poured cold water over expectations of the Commonwealth Games 2010, New Delhi being hosted on a grand scale. He said that the event should not be compared with Beijing ’08 which involved a huge sum of money.

"It’s better one does not compare it with Beijing. As many as $50 billion were spent for the entire event," Gill pointed out at the sidelines of the inauguration of a swimming pool at the Sports Authority of India, eastern centre on Friday.

"The Commonwealth Games too are important and the work behind it seems to be going on at full speed. We’ve also set up a coordination committee for reviewing the progress."

Gill stressed on the need to improve the standard of football in India. "In 1956, we made the semifinals in the Melbourne Olympics and today, we are languishing in the 150th position or nowhere. We must revive the sport and take it to where it was five decades ago."

Besides, he hinted that "inexpensive" games like volleyball, basketball and athletics as well need to be promoted. "You just need a ball to play football, basketball and volleyball which cost almost nothing. Even (US president Barack) Obama does not have to spend money for the promotion of basketball.

"For athletics too, we don’t need to spend anything. Rather, it’s about taking a cue from the Kenyans who keep running and beat sportspersons from all races," Gill said.

Like every other sports lover, he sought the revival of hockey and dismissed the possibility of the sport being stripped of its ‘national game’ status. "How can people think of according cricket the national game status? No doubt, cricket is hugely popular. So, let it remain where it is.

"Back in the olden days, legends like Vishwanath, Vinoo Mankad and others hardly had any protection while batting as compared to cricketers nowadays who are all covered up to face 90mph stuff," Gill commented.

In addition, he announced the revival of pension schemes for ex-sportspersons, scrapping the old three-year policy. He criticised the prevailing scheme of pension for three years.

Source: http://203.197.197.71/presentation/leftnavigation/news/sports/%E2%80%98cwg-2010-should-not-be-compared-with-beijing-2008%E2%80%99.aspx

2010 Olympics a great economic stimulus: Canadian Finance minister

2009-01-23T20:51:00.000-08:00

Whatever the cost of putting on the 2010 Olympics, it is the best economic stimulus package a government could want, Finance Minister Colin Hansen said Thursday.

Without conceding the government has pumped more money into the Games than it had first promised, Hansen said he understands how taxpayers could be nervous. But he pointed to the benefits derived from Expo 86 and raised the spectre of the current worldwide financial meltdown to justify the hundreds of millions of taxpayers' dollars governments across Canada have devoted to the Games.

"When we talk about economic stimulus packages that governments around the world are trying to put in place, you could not find a better economic stimulus package than hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Games," he said.

The government has estimated the Olympics will generate $4 billion in direct economic benefits, half of it from venue construction programs and the other half from corporate sponsor programs. "That's not counting the multiplier effect in the B.C. economy of having that $4 billion infused directly into local businesses," he said.

Hansen said no one questions Expo 86 was a success as an economic generator -- and that was without the sustained worldwide television coverage the Olympics will bring to the province.

The province's $600-million Olympic budget remains fair, he said, even though he knows some people want to attach projects such as the Canada Line, Sea to Sky Highway upgrade and Vancouver Exhibition & Convention Centre as Olympic projects.

However, Hansen has acknowledged that the revised costs of Olympic security will exceed the province's $87.5-million budgeted share -- and could mean the province will exceed its $600-million cap. The bulk of security costs, which could reach $1 billion, will be paid by Ottawa.

In its 2002 bid book, the Vancouver Bid Corp. estimated it would cost $709 million to build new and refurbish existing venues, with $509 million coming from the federal and provincial governments and the rest -- primarily for the Vancouver Athletes' Village -- coming from other partners. At the time, Vancouver was already planning to sell the lands to a private developer to build an 1,100-unit residential neighbourhood. Vanoc eventually pegged venue costs at $470 million.

In April 2004, Vanoc acknowledged it needed more government money because of rising construction costs and because the bid was estimated in 2002 US dollars, as required by the IOC. Ottawa and Victoria eventually parcelled out another $55 million each.

jefflee@vancouversun.com

Source: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=ae708792-f2e5-41a8-8911-767528c5f9e4

Gill pitches for revival of football

2009-01-23T20:48:00.000-08:00

KOLKATA: “Football is a people’s game, it is a world sport,” said the Union Sports Minister, Dr. M.S. Gill, at the inauguration of a swimming pool at the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Eastern Centre, here on Friday, on the 112th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

Dr. Gill stressed the need to strengthen the infrastructure for the sport to develop.

In presence of Badru Banerjee, captain of the Indian football team at the 1956 Olympics, he said, “India once played in the semifinals of an Olympic Games and now is ranked 140, 150 or nowhere. We must get back to that old level of eminence.”

Encouragement needed

Dr. Gill said the new swimming pool of international standard would give a fillip to aquatics in Bengal. He also called for encouragement of disciplines like volleyball, basketball and athletics.

Dr. Gill called for support from corporate houses. “The money that is being spent on sport by the big industrial houses is insufficient, ” he said.

He further said he had revived the pension scheme for former sportspersons and named Niranjan Das, a wrestler who participated in the 1952 Olympics, Gorachand Sil, member of the water polo team in the 1948 Olympics, and Bani Ghosh, a National-level cyclist, as beneficiaries of the scheme.

Pension scheme

“Previously, the pension scheme was only for three years. Now it will be life-long,” he said.

The Union sports minister also said the work on various projects for the 2010 Commonwealth Games was on course and all the pending work would be completed well in time.

Source: http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/24/stories/2009012455941800.htm

Olympic Special: Anadi aur khiladi kam

2008-08-10T21:55:00.000-07:00

For India nothing has changed. The Indian Olympic Association has ensured that like for every other Olympics, for the Beijing Olympics also, the Indian contingent comprises an equal number of players and 'tourists' and 'cheerleaders' in the garb of coaching and support staff.

99 members India is participating in the Beijing Olympics with a 99 member squad.

12 disciplines

Ironically, while the IOA is planning to bid for 2020 Olympics in Delhi, was able to confirm India's participation in only 12 disciplines out of the 28 sports and 312 events being held at Beijing.

Support staff

A number of support staff have made it to the Olympics team on government expenditure not because of their qualification but 'relation'. The tennis team topped the list in getting their moms and dads to on the flight to Beijing.

Mom is best

Sania Mirza may not be winning much in tennis but could win over the IOA members in getting her mother Nasim Mirza in the contingent as a manager.

Leander Paes' father Vece Paes is also a part of the team as a doctor.

However, deserving boxing coach Heath Mathews South African was inducted in the team it refused to go to China without him.

With the Hockey team even failing to make it to the Olympics, the medal hopes are being pinned on the weightlifters and the boxers but that is only for medals minus the gold.

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2008/aug/080808del-news4.htm

We do love to play

2008-08-10T21:53:00.000-07:00

KhaZan Singh, who won silver medal in 1986 Seoul Asian games expressed his optimism for the Indian Olympic team.

"The ethos of the Olympics is that participation matters more than winning and it stands true for every athlete. Every one performs his best but there are several factors behind winning a medal and most of them are beyond his control. But I am very hopeful that this time we will be able to win medals," he said.

The swimming team of the country comprises four swimmers in different categories. Rohit Gupta, who won Mr India title in year 2000 was dejected after the Indian weight lifting team got embroiled in the doping scandal.

"It was a good team but now all the members will have to suffer because of an allegation against a single sportsperson. But the Indian team this time is more hopeful of winning medals," he said.

Gupta is from the body building team of the Indian Railways and has won several other titles.

Source; http://www.mid-day.com/news/2008/aug/080808del-news2.htm

100 cr = 00 and ? medals

2008-08-10T21:50:00.000-07:00

Team MiD DAY brings you Olympics, Delhi istyle. First, a fact. Many Delhiites feel that we stand a good chance to get a gold in hockey, without realising that our national game team 11 have not been even able to qualify for the gala sporting event.

According to a Visa survey, seven out of 10 Indians are optimistic about winning more medals at the Beijing Olympics as compared to the last episode. However, most of the celebrities and professionals refused to give India more than 1 percent marks. They do not even dare to dream a medal. Even sports minister M S Gill hopes India will win a medal or two in boxing, shooting or 400X women relay. Many share Gill's sentiment that India will bag a medal or two.

Though UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi with family and a few celebs would fly to China to cheer Team India, there will be no Preity Zinta hugging Lt Col R S Rathore or the sexy cheer leaders jumping around when Sachin Tendular hits a six. Oops, we will get a medal in cricket too. Many like TV actor Chetaniya Choudhary or India's badman Gulshan Grover recall that the men in blue won a gold at the last or 'last year's' Olympics or even 23 years ago.

The only sporting activity we witnessed on the eve of Olympics in the city was kite flying and some cricket, yoga in the parks and lots of discounts in the several pubs and bars. Cheers!

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2008/aug/080808del-news1.htm

Olympic Special : More than sports

2008-08-10T21:47:00.000-07:00

Join the athletes of Sweden, Jamaica and Morocco who will don an exclusive collection of tees, shoes, polos, jackets, sweatshirts and accessories all inspired by the concept of lucky 8 by Puma Again based on lucky number eight, Omega has lauched a collection of time pieces in three versions, which reflect the Olympic medals: Yellow (gold), White (silver) and Red (bronze).

The five Olympic rings appear on the chronograph second hand's counterweight and the Beijing 2008 logo is stamped on the case back. This remarkable watch will be available only in Beijing.

Visit the All Sports Bar, which is dressed up for the occasion with an innovative new menu, table top and a vox pop capturing the emotions of sports lovers in one frame. When you are here you can also glaze through the dedicated Olympics magazine - that documents everything from the history of Olympics, events, memorable moments to doping and sex Olympics. Sounds sporty!

If you too wana get the fine sporting gear that the athletes adorn, then you can catch it at the Olympic collection from Aokang - the official leather goods supplier. Get hold of stylish formal and casual designs that reflect the new age style and the world class appeal of the games. Made from genuine leather, it is carefully crafted to perfection.

Where: At Aokang Image store, G-35, MGF Mall, Saket

Price: Rs 2,399 to Rs 3,599

Enjoy a lavish meal of marathon chicken garlic noodles, schezwan, double trap chilly chicken, Tianjin fried rice, triple jump choupsuey, Beijing vegetables in hot garlic sauce that too in a resplendent ambience with a generous dose of sports accessories and posters thrown around.

WHERE: Hotel City Park, CafÃ©24, Pitam Pura,

Time: 12 noon till midnight

PRICE: Avg. Meal for two: Rs 500+ taxes

Enjoy lip smacking varieties of the world delicacies in a mast mish-mash cuisine. You can choose from delights like 2008 Beijing, the dragon fire (prawn hunanese), 2004 Athens, the Greek inspiration, and 1984 Los Angeles, the Brangelina Hollywood (grilled chicken breast burger). If you can't resist yourself now, head for the restaurant.

WHERE: Fox, First India Place, MG Road, Gurgaon

Source: http://www.mid-day.com/news/2008/aug/080808del-news5.htm

Games tickets for Beijing venues sold out

2008-07-29T02:07:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2008 11:26 ISTOlympic tickets for events in host city Beijing have completely sold out, Games organisers said, leaving only tickets for competitions in co-host cities still available.Organisers released the final tranche of 820,000 tickets on Friday, prompting chaotic scenes at ticket booths in Beijing, where queues of tens of thousands of people strained to break heavy police cordons.

"With a heated participation of ticket buyers, Games-time competition tickets of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games venues in Beijing have been sold out," the Beijing Organising Committee for the Olympic Games said on its website late on Sunday.

Some 250,000 of the final tranche were for Beijing-based events, with the rest for soccer qualifiers held in co-host cities Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang and Qinhuangdao.
A final batch of 14,000 tickets for equestrian events would go on sale in co-host city Hong Kong on Tuesday, organisers said on the competition website.

Tickets for many competitions in Beijing sold out within hours, with some buyers camping out at ticket booths two days before they opened.

Thousands of police and paramilitary troops struggled to keep order at booths during the last-chance sale, where scuffles broke out between frustrated ticket-buyers, security officials and reporters.

Beijing's sale of nearly 7 million Olympic tickets has been swift but not without incident. Prospective buyers complained on blogs and Internet chat-rooms of not being able to complete purchases after the third batch of tickets was released in May.

The former Olympic ticketing chief was sacked last November after the ticketing website crashed almost immediately on the opening day of the second round of sales.
The Beijing Games start on August 8. source: rediff.com

Olympic Torch Relay in Changchun ends

2008-07-13T21:17:00.000-07:00

(CHANGCHUN, July 14) -- Last torchbearer Wang Chunlu, a Winter Games short-track silver medalist, lit the cauldron at Changchun World Sculpture Park at 10: 04 a.m. on Monday to end the Changchun leg of the Olympic Torch Relay. The cities of Songyuan and Jilin will host the torch on Tuesday.

The Olympic Torch Relay kicked off in Changchun at 8:08 a.m. Altogether 218 torchbearers carried the Olympic flame along this nine-km-long journey.

Wang Jiaqi, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was the first torchbearer.

Changchun is the capital of Jilin Province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China. The city has a population of 7.4 million.

Source http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/journey/changchun/news/n214451644.shtml

Theme Slogan: One World One Dream

2008-07-09T01:27:00.000-07:00

"One World One Dream" fully reflects the essence and the universal values of the Olympic spirit -- Unity, Friendship, Progress, Harmony, Participation and Dream. It expresses the common wishes of people all over the world, inspired by the Olympic ideals, to strive for a bright future of Mankind. In spite of the differences in colors, languages and races, we share the charm and joy of the Olympic Games, and together we seek for the ideal of Mankind for peace. We belong to the same world and we share the same aspirations and dreams.

"One World One Dream" is a profound manifestation of the core concepts of the Beijing Olympic Games. It reflects the values of harmony connoted in the concept of "People's Olympics", the core and soul of the three concepts -- "Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics". While "Harmony of Man with Nature" and "Peace Enjoys Priority" are the philosophies and ideals of the Chinese people since ancient times in their pursuit of the harmony between Man and Nature and the harmony among people, building up a harmonious society and achieving harmonious development are the dream and aspirations of ours. It is our belief that peace and progress, harmonious development, living in amity, cooperation and mutual benefit, and enjoying a happy life are the common ideals of the people throughout the world.

"One World One Dream" is simple in expressions, but profound in meaning. It is of China, and also of the world. It conveys the lofty ideal of the people in Beijing as well as in China to share the global community and civilization and to create a bright future hand in hand with the people from the rest of the world. It expresses the firm belief of a great nation, with a long history of 5,000 years and on its way towards modernization, that is committed to peaceful development, harmonious society and people's happiness. It voices the aspirations of 1.3 billion Chinese people to contribute to the establishment of a peaceful and bright world.

The English translation of the slogan is distinctive in sentence structure. The two "One"s are perfectly used in parallel, and the words "World" and "Dream" form a good match. The slogan is simple, meaningful, inspiring, and easy to remember, read and spread.

In Chinese, the word "tongyi", which means "the same", is used for the English word "One". It highlights the theme of "the whole Mankind lives in the same world and seeks for the same dream and ideal".

2008-07-09T01:24:00.000-07:00

BOCOG's general goal is to host high-level Olympic Games and high-level Olympics with distinguishing features, to realize the strategic concepts of "New Beijing, Great Olympics" and to leave a unique legacy for China and world sports.

Distinguishing Features

The features refer to Chinese style, cultural splendour, contemporary spirits and mass participation .The Beijing Olympic Games will be a perfect occasion to fully display China's 5,000-year history and its resplendent culture, a grand ceremony that will gather athletes from all over the world and present diverse and brilliant cultures. The Beijing Olympic Games will fully express the common aspiration of the Chinese people to jointly seek peace, development and common progress together with the peoples of the world, and it will highlight the fact that the 1.3 billion Chinese people of 56 ethnic groups, along with 50 million overseas Chinese, are all most enthusiastic participants in the Beijing Olympic Games.

High-level

-- High-level sporting venues, facilities and competition organizations;

-- high-level opening ceremonies and cultural events;

-- high-level media services and favourable press commentary;

-- high-level security work;

-- high-level volunteers and services;

-- high-level transportation and logistics;

-- high-level urban civility and friendliness; and

-- high-level performances by athletes from around the world.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/concepts/index.shtml

Concepts: Green Olympics, High-tech Olympics and People's Olympics

2008-07-09T01:17:00.000-07:00

Three concepts have been adopted for the Beijing Olympic Games, namely, the Green Olympics, the High-tech Olympics and the People's Olympics.

Green Olympics

Environmental protection is a key prerequisite for designing and constructing the Olympic Games' facilities, while strict ecological standards and systematic guarantee systems will be established.

Environmentally friendly technologies and measures will be widely applied in environmental treatment to structures and venues. Urban and rural afforestation and environmental protection will be widely enhanced in an all-round manner. Environmental awareness will be promoted among the general public, with citizens greatly encouraged to make "green" consumption choices and urged to actively participate in various environmental improvement activities to help better the capital's ecological standards and build a city better fit for all to enjoy.

High-tech Olympics

A grand sporting event featuring high technology will be held by incorporating the latest domestic and international scientific and technological achievements. Beijing will upgrade its scientific innovative capabilities, boosting the industrialization of high-tech achievements and popularizing their use in daily life. The Beijing Olympic Games is to serve as a window to showcase the city's high-tech achievements and its innovative strength.

People's Olympics

The Beijing Olympic Games will be an occasion to spread modern Olympic ideas, while displaying splendid Chinese culture, Beijing's historical and cultural heritage, and its residents' positive attitudes. It will also be an opportunity to advance cultural exchanges, to deepen understanding and friendship between the peoples of the world, and to promote harmonious development between mankind and nature. It will be a time to promote healthy interaction between individuals and society and to foster mental and physical health. In line with the "people-oriented" and "athletes-centered" ideas, Beijing will spare no efforts to provide quality services and to build a natural and social environment that will satisfy all the Games' participants.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/concepts/index.shtml

The Official Mascots of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

2008-07-09T01:12:00.000-07:00

Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world.

Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame.

Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow.

When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games.

Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation.

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe.

At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life.
The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -- and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.

In the intimate circle of Fuwa, Huanhuan is the big brother. He is a child of fire, symbolizing the Olympic Flame and the passion of sport -- and passion is the blessing he bestows. Huanhuan stands in the center of Fuwa as the core embodiment of the Olympic spirit. And while he inspires all with the passion to run faster, jump higher and be stronger, he is also open and inviting. Wherever the light of Huanhuan shines, the inviting warmth of Beijing 2008 -- and the wishful blessings of the Chinese people -- can be felt. The fiery designs of his head ornament are drawn from the famed Dunhuang murals -- with just a touch of China's traditional lucky designs. Huanhuan is outgoing and enthusiastic. He excels at all the ball games and represents the red Olympic ring.

Like all antelopes, Yingying is fast and agile and can swiftly cover great stretches of land as he races across the earth. A symbol of the vastness of China's landscape, the antelope carries the blessing of health, the strength of body that comes from harmony with nature. Yingying's flying pose captures the essence of a species unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, one of the first animals put under protection in China. The selection of the Tibetan Antelope reflects Beijing's commitment to a Green Olympics. His head ornament incorporates several decorative styles from the Qinghai-Tibet and Sinkiang cultures and the ethnic design traditions of Western China. Strong in track and field events, Yingying is a quick-witted and agile boy who represents the yellow Olympic ring.

Every spring and summer, the children of Beijing have flown beautiful kites on the currents of wind that blow through the capital. Among the kite designs, the golden-winged swallow is traditionally one of the most popular. Nini's figure is drawn from this grand tradition of flying designs. Her golden wings symbolize the infinite sky and spread good-luck as a blessing wherever she flies. Swallow is also pronounced "yan" in Chinese, and Yanjing is what Beijing was called as an ancient capital city. Among Fuwa, Nini is as innocent and joyful as a swallow. She is strong in gymnastics and represents the green Olympic ring.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214068254.shtml

Olympic Emblem

2008-07-09T01:00:00.000-07:00

Every emblem of the Olympics tells a story. The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games emblem "Chinese Seal, Dancing Beijing" is filled with Beijing's hospitality and hopes, and carries the city's commitment to the world.

Milestone

"Dancing Beijing" is a milestone of the Olympics. It serves as a classic chapter of the Olympic epic inscribed by the spirit of the Chinese nation, calligraphed by the deeper import of the ancient civilization, and molded by the character of Cathay's descendents. It is concise yet deep inside, bringing forth the city's gradual changes and development. It appears dignified yet bears a tune of romance, reflecting the nation's thoughts and emotions.

In the lead up to the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the emblem will attract more and more people from around the world to Beijing and China to join the great celebration with the Chinese people.
Commitment.

"Dancing Beijing" is a Chinese Seal. It is engraved with commitment made to the Olympic Movement by a country that has 56 ethnic groups and a population of 1.3 billion. While witnessing the advocacy of the Olympic Spirit by a nation with both ancient civilization and modern culture, it also unfolds a future-oriented city's pursuit of the Olympic Ideal.

It is a symbol of trust and an expression of self confidence, standing for the solemn yet sacred promise that Beijing - the host city of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - has made to the world and to all mankind.

"Complete sincerity can affect even metal and stone (literally meaning sincerity smoothes the way to success)." The inception of our ancestors' wisdom and the image of a seal made of metal and stone allow the emblem to present Chinese people's respect and honesty for the Olympics.
The moment we earnestly imprint the emblem with the "Chinese seal", Beijing is about to show the world a grand picture of "peace, friendship, and progress of mankind" and to strike up the passionate movement of "faster, higher, and stronger" for mankind.

Image

"Dancing Beijing" serves as the city's foremost appearance. It is an image that shows the eastern ways of thinking and the nation's lasting appeal embodied in the Chinese characters. It is an expression that conveys the unique cultural quality and elegance of Chinese civilization.
With inspiration from the traditional Chinese art form - calligraphic art, the character "Jing" (the latter of the city's name) is developed into the form of a dancing human being, reflecting the ideal of a "New Olympics". The words "Beijing 2008" also resembles the vivid shapes of Chinese characters in handwriting, voicing in concise strokes of the countless feelings Chinese people possess towards the Olympics.

As people ponder on the rich connotations and charms of these Chinese characters, a "New Beijing" has thus been brought forward.

Beauty

"Dancing Beijing" is a favorite color of the Chinese people. The color "red" is intensively used in the emblem, pushing the passion up to a new level. It carries Chinese people's longing for luck and happiness and their explanation of life.

Red is the color of the Sun and the Holy Fire, representing life and a new beginning. Red is mind at ease, symbol of vitality, and China's blessing and invitation to the world.

Hero

"Dancing Beijing" calls upon heroes. Olympic Games functions as the stage where heroes are made known, miracles created and glories earned, and where every participant constitutes an indispensable part of the occasion.

The powerful and dynamic design of the emblem is a life poem written by all participants with their passion, affections, and enthusiasm. It is an oath every participant takes to contribute power and wisdom to the Olympics.

The emblem cheers for arts and for the Olympic heroes, who pass down the essence of the Olympic Spirit, which well connects sports and cultures.

Spirit

"Dancing Beijing" extends the totem of the Chinese nation. The form of a running human being stands for the beauty and magnificence of life. Its graceful curves are like the body of a wriggling dragon, relating the past and future of one same civilization; they are like rivers, carrying the century-old history and the nation's pride; they are like veins, pulsing with vitality of life.
The intrinsic values of sports -- athlete-centered and people-oriented - are well defined and upgraded in an artistic way in "the dance of Beijing." We sing if words fail to explain it all, and we dance if the singing does not explicitly tell the meaning.

Vigorous Beijing is looking forward to the celebration in 2008 and the Olympics wait all mankind to dance together.

Invitation

"Dancing Beijing" is a kind invitation. The open arms in the emblem say that China is opening its arms to welcome the rest of the world to join the Olympics, a celebration of "peace, friendship and progress of mankind."

"Is it not a joy to have friends come from afar?" The idiom portrays the feelings of friendly and hospitable Chinese people and expresses the sincerity of the city.

Come to Beijing, take a good look at the historical heritages of China's Capital city, and feel the pulse of the country's modernization; Come, share every piece of its joy, and experience the vigor of the country; Come, and let us together weave a peaceful and wonderful dream.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/n214070081.shtml

About BOCOG

2008-07-09T00:55:00.000-07:00

The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) was established on December 13, 2001, five months after Beijing won the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games.

BOCOG currently consists of 26 departments -- responsible for numerous Games functions ranging from venue planning to environmental management.

BOCOG will gradually expand its departments and staff to meet the time-sensitive demands of the Olympic preparations. By 2008, there will be more than 30 departments and 4,000 staff working under the BOCOG umbrella.

Headquarters: Beijing Olympic Tower, 267 Beisihuanzhonglu, Haidian, Beijing, P.R.China

Postal Code: 102008

Tel: +86 10 66692008 Fax: +86 10 66699229 E-mail: 2008@beijing2008.cn

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/bocog/

Ronaldinho's Olympic dream turns sour

2008-07-09T00:53:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, July 9) -- Despite being included in the Brazilian Olympic squad announced on Tuesday, football star Ronaldinho's road to Beijing is bumpier than expected. His club FC Barcelona has refused to release him for Beijing 2008.

FC Barcelona justified the move on its official website by saying that "the Olympics do not form part of the official FIFA calendar, and no official decision has ever been made in that respect, so the club is under no obligation to allow its player to travel."

The statement also says the club's objective is to "have as many players as possible ready in time for the Champions League qualifying games."

Another star from Barca, Lionel Messi, who has expressed many times his wish to play for his country Argentina in the Olympics, may also be affected by the club's hard-line decision.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/football/n214442802.shtml

Beijing Olympic Main Press Center opens

2008-07-09T00:45:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, July 8) -- The Main Press Center (MPC) for the Beijing Olympics formally opened on Tuesday, July 8 and will follow a 24-hour operation schedule between July 25 and August 27 for media crews from around the world, Director of the MPC and IBC operation team, Sha Wanquan, told reporters Tuesday.

The International Broadcast Center (IBC), nearby the MPC, also began operation Tuesday, stated Director of the BOCOG Median Operations Department, Sun Weijia, who joined Sha at the press conference.

The Chinese government, Beijing Municipal Government and BOCOG have attached great importance to media services with courtesy for media members a top consideration, both Sha and Sun stressed.

With a floor space of 62,000 square meters, the MPC is the largest media center in Olympic history. Located within reach of the "Bird's Nest", "Water Cube", National Indoor Stadium, the Olympic Fencing Hall, the Olympic Village, Media Village and other venues, the MPC allows for more convenient news coverage and easy access by journalists.

The two media hotels are conjoined to the MPC, allowing for direct flow between media work space and living quarters, setting a precedent for the Olympic Games, Sha said.

With 971 workstations, the press work room is also the largest in Olympic history. Among these workstations, 680 are equipped with electrical and network interface features to provide media crews with optimal communication capabilities. An additional 206 workstations will be available for photographers. W-LAN and laptop locks will accompany all stations for user convenience. To date a record 144 media organizations have rented 110 offices at the facility.

The MPC and IBC will follow international practice to provide information terminals, Games-time live broadcasting, competition results, and print and distribution service stations. "In addition, we have also set up a resource area offering a variety of international newspapers, magazines, and library facilities for members of the media," Sha said. "Abundant news coverage and press conferences addressing various topics will also be conducted to provide additional information," he added.

For added convenience, the MPC will offer facilities such as free of charge internet buffet, mobile phone charging stations, Internet IC card lending machine, a bank, a post office, a UPS center, a medical station, a pharmacy, a licensed product shop, a dry cleaning shop, a hair dresser, a travel agency, a convenient store and vending machines. The MPC will also offer a restaurant with a wide selection of international foods, media lounge, massage room, gym, showers and other spaces for relaxation.

Discussing the IBC, Sun said that it would also offer similar facilities for media teams. Additional information would be made available through press conferences from July 8 to 23. Starting July 8, the help desk will begin accepting applications for use of interview facilities and assisting crews with navigating the facility and addressing any concerns.

Offering optimal working conditions and cutting edge technology capabilities has been a priority for planners. "Ever since the early planning stage, we have been committed to top service and setting new Olympic precedents with our offerings," Sun said.

This would be the first time high definition signals would be provided to broadcasters to serve over four billion spectators around the world.

"This is also the first time that new media technologies such as the internet and mobile phones will be used for widespread broadcasting," Sun said.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214441189.shtml

My Olympic Story: 100 days, 100 stories

2008-07-09T00:41:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, April 16) - Were you born on August 8, the date the Beijing Olympics begin? Are you full of knowledge about Olympic events? Then you're already playing a role in the Beijing Olympics.

If you think you have an Olympic destiny, don't keep it to yourself; tell your story and inspire others! Allow us to share your Olympic experience with the rest of the world today.

The official website of the Olympic Games is asking for stories that reflect your support for the Olympics and the contributions you are making towards the preparations for the Games. We welcome stories from all perspectives. You can also send pictures!

Entries will be accepted until August 6. Beginning April 29, on the occasion of the 100-day countdown to the start of the Games, we will select and post one story every day until August 6, for a total of 100 stories.

The star of every selected story will receive a special certificate and commemorative Olympic souvenir, and the 100 selected stories will be published as an anthology and become a part of the Olympic Museum collection as a cultural legacy of the Beijing Olympics.

Please log on to http://en.beijing2008.cn/story/ for more information.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/dynamics/headlines/n214309769.shtml

Beijing in final sprint for Olympic preparations

2008-07-09T00:36:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, July 8 (Xinhua) -- Taxi driver Wang Xiancheng thought his English language level urgently needed improving, as the summer Olympics in his home city of Beijing is just one month away as of Tuesday.

"My English is still not good enough for a chat," said Wang, who learnt the language mainly from tape recordings, while driving.

However, he considered the best way to learn is to speak face-to-face with English-speaking passengers.

Beijing authorities launched an English learning campaign for the 90,000 taxi drivers in the city in 2005. With this effort, many drivers now have enough English for a small chat with their passengers.

After three years of construction, the Main Press Center (MPC) and International Broadcasting Center (IBC) of the Olympic Games were opened on Tuesday, kicking off the media service for the event, which is expected to draw 30,000 foreign media people.

In the one month run-up to the Games, the Olympic host city is gearing up security forces to sweep 90 sports venues, 110 Olympic contracted hotels, 700-km sports tracks, the Olympic athlete village as well as 2,000 sites for Olympic-themed activities, to eliminate any security loopholes in the city.

The city has built an anti-terrorist force of nearly 100,000 commandos, police and troops on high alert for attempted terrorist attacks.

National-level anti-terrorist drills have been launched to test the reactions against chemical attacks, hijacking and other possible contingencies.

Security forces in Beijing's co-host cities of Shanghai, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao and Hong Kong have been patrolling the ground and skies of all venues and the maritime safety of coastal venues.

Beijing metro passengers have been subjected to security checks since June 29. Locals have got used to the frequent presence of explosives sniffer dogs in metro stations and at the airport.
Paper metro tickets, which had been used for more than 30 years, disappeared from Beijingers' lives in early June, to be replaced by travel cards. And now commuters have bilingual direction boards with lively cartoon images showing the areas around the metro stations.

"Beijing's metro network is no different from that of Paris and is newer. It is convenient and safe, and the best part, no litter at metro entrances," said Hamath Sali, a Senegalese tourist.
Beijing and its citizens have taken the Games as a chance to upgrade the city's etiquette. To make sure that everyone knows how to behave, brochures were sent to 4.3 million families and training provided for 870,000 drivers, hotel service staff and booking clerks.

Authorities have been determined to change the city's bad hygiene image. More than 5,300 new public toilets have been newly built or refurbished, so that a visitor is never further than 10 minutes walk from a toilet in the downtown area.

In addressing the dog problem, Beijing introduced a "one family, one dog" policy in 2006, when it also joined a nationwide campaign against unregistered dogs. So far, the city's 700,000 dogs have been vaccinated.

Beijing authorities have also set up dog-raising discipline supervision committees in 95 percent of communities in urban areas and 85 percent of villages, where residents volunteer to check bad behavior by dogs and owners.

Beginning from June, the country's postal service has suspended mailing parcels containing liquids until Oct. 31, following a previous liquid ban introduced in April on carry-on baggage in domestic flights. The ban was brought in for fear of terrorist attack following a failed attempt to blow up a Southern Airlines flight from Urumqi, Xinjiang to Beijing in March.

The city took 300,000 high-emission cars permanently off its roads last week, as part of measures to clean up the capital's airand ease traffic on the clogged highways.

The organizers announced its Olympic vehicle control plan earlier last month, which bans private cars on alternate days from July 20, depending on whether their number plates end in odd or even numbers. Half of local and central government vehicles will be off the roads during the event as well.

The measures could help reduce 63 percent of traffic pollution emissions in the city.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214442169.shtml

Chinese vice president confident Olympic equestrian events will be successful

2008-07-09T00:32:00.000-07:00

HONG KONG, July 7 (Xinhua) - Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping said here Monday he was confident that the Hong Kong will host warm, splendid and successful equestrian events during the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Xi made the remarks in his keynote speech at a welcoming dinner hosted by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government at the Shangri-La Hotel, noting that the HKSAR government and Hong Kong compatriots have contributed significantly to the preparations of the Beijing 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

As one of the six co-host cities, Hong Kong is going to stage the equestrian events, an important part of the Beijing Olympics.

Xi said the HKSAR government has led the preparatory work with great sense of commitment, and the Equestrian Committee (Hong Kong) and the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong have been working in close collaboration with all sectors of Hong Kong.

As a result of their hard work, Xi said, two high-quality modern equestrian venues for the Olympic Games have been built in just about three years and events-related preparations and the introduction of municipal services plans are well underway.

The whole country and the whole world are deeply impressed by Hong Kong people's enthusiasm, their level of participation and their passion for the Olympics, Xi said.

Hundreds of thousands of people joined the crowd to cheer for the Beijing Olympic torch relay on May 2 in Hong Kong, making it an event of festivity and harmony.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/hongkong/n214440134.shtml

Beijing upgrades park toilets for Olympics

2008-07-09T00:23:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, July 7 (Xinhua) - Beijing is upgrading its park toilets to better serve tourists during the August Olympiad.

This year, the capital had invested 15 million yuan (about 2.2 million U.S. dollars) in refurbishing 128 toilets in 11 city-managed parks. It was also building seven new ones.

According to a park administration center guideline, all park toilets must have their doors, windows and inner walls cleaned and painted. They also must be equipped with free soap, tissue, hand dryers and ultraviolet disinfection lamps.

Previously toilets at the famed Summer Palace saw long line-ups. Now, seating had been provided while they wait. Diaper tables have also been installed for tourists' convenience.

The upgraded toilets are all equipped with free soap and tissue and offer the disabled easy access and usage.

Each month, the Summer Palace's 23 toilets consumed 4,752 rolls of tissue, 214 liters of soap and 57.5 liters of detergent, a park spokesman said.

The expenditure on tissues alone in the 11 parks stood at 1.5 million yuan annually, an official with the park administration center said.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214440126.shtml

Tian'anmen Square decked out in flowers

2008-07-09T00:14:00.000-07:00

Late Saturday night, the flower display at Tian'anmen Square was revealed to the public. At present, a revolving 16.9 meter tall "Dancing Beijing" logo welcomes visitors by highlighting the upcoming 2008 Games. According to Beijing Morning Post, by the end of the month, the entire presentation will be completed.

From the end of July to October, city residents can enjoy the million pots of varied plants that make up the display.

Can the flowers withstand Beijing's scorching hot summer and frequent rains? According to expert Chen Ju, these plants have been researched thoroughly and found capable of withstanding such weather conditions with no problem. Chen explained that most of these flowers can recover from strong winds and rains quickly, returning to their original brilliance. "After a heavy rainfall, we must go to check on the flowers to see which ones can endure and recover quickly. This is the main criteria we used to select these flowers," said Chen.

Surrounding the upright "Dancing Beijing" logo, the bed of flowers is strategically arranged so as to form the design of the "lucky clouds." Lit up by LED lights, the logo rotates in the middle of the 40 meter diameter display.

Tian'anmen Square now houses many examples of Olympic culture, including exhibitions of the Olympic sports symbols and Olympic slogans. During the Paralympic Games, logos will be changed accordingly.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214437556.shtml

Service in forty-four languages during Games-time

2008-07-09T00:10:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, July 7) - BOCOG President Liu Qi helped inaugurate the Olympic Games multi-language service center on Monday, July 7, at Beijing Foreign Studies University.

The creation of the multi-language service facility represents a joint effort by the BOCOG International Relations Department and the Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU).
According to chinanews.com, after the opening ceremony, Liu inspected the facility.
BFSU is one of China's most prestigious universities, with academics reaching 43 languages. Over 3,000 students have become Olympic volunteers.

Workers at the service center and BFSU students and teachers will be providing aid in forty-four languages during the Games.

A 24-hour telephone hotline will be available to aid in translation needs in 10 of the world's most widely spoken languages. An emergency response team will be supporting the work of the center.

The center will be fully and officially operating on July 24. It will close on September 21.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/olympiccities/beijing/n214439845.shtml

2008-07-09T00:01:00.001-07:00

(BEIJING, June 23) -- Tickets for the Olympic Expo Beijing 2008, which is being held by the China Post Group, go on sale beginning from June 23 worldwide.

Four categories of tickets will be available:

standard, VIP, student and general, with prices ranging from 30 yuan to 2,008 yuan. Beijing residents can purchase tickets onsite or by registering at any outlet in the network. Tickets will be sold on a first-come, first-serve basis until tickets are sold out. There will be a limit on the number of tickets that each individual may purchase.

Residents of other provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities can place orders for tickets onsite or by registering at any outlet in the network. Tickets can be ordered on a first-come, first-serve basis until all tickets are ordered. There will be a limit on the number of tickets that each individual may order.

People in Hong Kong, Macao and Chinese Taipei as well as other countries should visit www.2008expo.org for more details.

Tickets will be sold under real names. The general public can buy tickets with a valid form of identification, including ID card, passport, special ID certificate for the servicemen, full-time student cards in Beijing or residence permits.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/dynamics/headlines/n214416985.shtml

One million Olympic tickets remain unsold

2008-07-08T23:57:00.000-07:00

BEIJING, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Organizers of the Beijing Olympics said on Wednesday that about six million tickets for the Aug. 8-24 Games have been purchased, accounting for 86 percent of the total tickets available for sale.

Zhu Yan, head of the Beijing Olympics Ticketing Center, told a press conference that around one million tickets remain unsold now and the majority of them are the tickets for soccer competitions in the four co-host cities -- Tianjin, Shanghai, Qinhuangdao and Shenyang.

"We plan to put on sale the remaining tickets in late July, and people will be able to buy tickets at the Olympic venues by then," said Zhu.

According to Zhu, of the six million tickets that have been sold, the Chinese domestic public purchased 3.43 million, including 800, 000 reserved for the primary and middle-school students, while the rest went to the National Olympic Committees, the International Federations, the International Olympic Committee and sponsors.

Zhu said that as many as 185 NOCs have booked Olympic tickets, and it is a proof of the attraction of the Beijing Games.

"As far as we know, 185 is a record number in the history of the Olympic Games," he said. "So judging from the ticket sales, we can say that the Beijing Olympics is a grand party of the Olympic family."

Meanwhile, Zhu also announced that 830,000 tickets for the Sept.6-17 Paralympic Games will go on sale across China as of Friday, with the price ranging from 30 yuan (about 4.35 U.S. dollars) to 80 yuan (about 11.6 U.S. dollars).

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/tickets/news/n214441784.shtml

Four Chinese shuttlers, three Olympic tickets

2008-07-08T23:55:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, June 18) -- World No. 4 Zhang Ning of China hopes her performance at the ongoing Indonesia Super Series will help get her to the Beijing Olympics.

She will face some tough competition among her compatriots, as IOC rules stipulate that only three Chinese can compete in Beijing. World No.1 Xie Xingfang has already secured one of three badminton team, revealed that the shuttlers' performances in recent major world badminton tournaments could determine whether the players will have a chance to compete in the upcoming Olympic Games.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/badminton/n214409994.shtml

FLASH: China and Russia earn Olympic tickets in Men's Double

2008-07-08T23:53:00.000-07:00

(BEIJING, June 18) -- Crews from China and Russia have qualified for the 2008 Olympics in the Men's Double after finishing in the top two spots at the Final Olympic Qualification Regatta on June 18, in Poznan, Poland.

Men's Double final results:

1. China -- 6:32.59
2. Russia -- 6:36.10
3. Bulgaria -- 6:36.39
4. Italy -- 6:38.87
5. Poland -- 6:39.98
6. Czech Republic -- 6:52.95

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/sports/headlines/rowing/n214409697.shtml

Olympic tickets distributed to Olympic Education Schools

2008-07-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

With the Beijing Olympic Games one month away, BOCOG and the Ministry of Education distributed Olympic tickets allotted for schools involved in the Olympic education program nationwide on Tuesday.

Following the practice of previous Olympics, BOCOG is offering elementary and secondary schools under the program up to one million tickets, or 14 percent of the total ticket pool, at low prices of five yuan to ten yuan per ticket. Opening and closing ceremony tickets are not included in the special ticketing program.

To ensure sound arrangement for students' accommodations and transportation, ten high schools in Beijing have been designated as hosts to offer affordable services.

BOCOG and the Education Ministry have also issued a special invitation to 65 teachers and students from earthquake-hit areas in Sichuan Province to attend the Olympics as a part of the program.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/tickets/news/n214441784.shtml

Beijing 2008: top players head Olympic tennis tournament

2008-07-08T23:45:00.000-07:00

With the participation of 17 of the top 20 men and 18 of the top 20 women, the 2008 Olympic tennis tournament will certainly be an event not to be missed from 10 to 17 August on the courts of the new Olympic Tennis Centre in Beijing. The International Tennis Federation (ITF) has released the direct acceptance list for the Olympic tennis event in singles and doubles (document to be downloaded from the ITF website).
With the two world No.1sIn Beijing, the world No. 1s, Roger Federer (Switzerland) and Ana Ivanovic (Serbia) will lead the strongest field ever to enter the Olympic tennis event since tennis returned as a full medal sport in Seoul in 1988. All five of the top men will compete in Beijing, and seven of the top ten women. The number of competitors will be 172 maximum.
Who will succeed Massu and Henin?

In Beijing, Nicolas Massu from Chile will be able to defend his 2004 Olympic titles (singles and doubles) as he has received one of the six ITF places. In the women’s singles, to find out who will succeed the Belgian Justine Hénin as Olympic champion, we will have to wait until 16 August 2008. For the men’s and women’s doubles, the Olympic winners will be crowned on 16 and 17 August.

Source; http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2626

Level of preparations for Beijing 2008 have set a gold standard for future Games

2008-07-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

Exactly one month out from the start of the 2008 Olympic Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today gave its assessment from the Chinese capital on how the organisers are faring.

At the close of a two-day meeting between the IOC and the Beijing Olympic Games Organising Committee (BOCOG), Hein Verbruggen, Chairman of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for Beijing 2008, heading up this week’s visiting 12-person IOC delegation said, “Here in the Chinese capital you can now really sense the excitement and anticipation. The city feels ready; it looks ready, with the stunning venues all completed. The quality of preparation, the readiness of the venues and the attention to operational detail for these Games have set a gold standard for the future. What our hosts have achieved is exceptional. For the Games to be an overriding success – and the IOC has an underlying confidence this will unquestionably be the case - the organisers need now to deliver the services pledged for, and therefore expected by, the various stakeholders who have begun to arrive for the Games. A very small number of open issues remain – such as some matters with broadcasters and our need to see how temporary measures in the city will make an impact on air quality. But across the board, for the number of areas we went through this week with BOCOG, we are satisfied. When athletes, sports officials, spectators and media arrive in this city over the coming weeks, I have no doubt they will be impressed when they see things with their own eyes; and they will be touched by the warmth of the welcome the Chinese people will show them.”

Source: http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2628

Get Into The Olympics--The Easy Way

2008-07-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Wed, Jul 9 09:30 AM Peter Hoy, Forbes.com

Face it: You're not the perfect athlete.

You're no Michael Phelps, and you're no Carl Lewis; heck you probably didn't even make varsity in high school. So if you want a trip to the Olympics, and you didn't start training when you were 7 (Phelps did), you're probably going as a spectator. But don't despair--it's entirely possible that you can compete as an athlete in the London games in 2012 (it's far too late to qualify for Beijing). You are just going to have to take the road less traveled.

In Pictures: Five Strategies To Get Into The Olympics

If you just want to be able to call yourself an Olympian in the loosest sense of the word, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes 31 demonstration sports, from bandy to korfball. Never heard of those? Neither have most people, which is why you'll have a (relatively) good shot at getting on a national team. Korfball, by the way, is a derivation of basketball that stresses minimal physical contact, and bandy is a cousin of ice hockey.

For the real deal, however, and a spot in London 2012, you're going to have to choose from one of the events on the IOC's official program. Your best bet is to find an easy sport and a non-competitive country to send you.

Of the 28 official Olympic summer sports, rowing might be your best choice--specifically, the seldom considered and oft-ridiculed position of coxswain, or the guy that motivates the rowers and steers the boat. By Olympic standards, it's a pretty easy job. You spend most of your time sitting down.

So easy, in fact, that in lieu of trials, China's state-run television launched an American Idol-type reality show in 2006 to find a pair of navigators who will sit in the sterns of China's racing shells for the Beijing Games.

Coxing requires little in the way of conditioning, speed or strength. You will, however, have to watch your weight--the American who coxed his eight-man boat to the gold medal in 2004 weighed only 121 lbs, and the Romanian gold medalist who coxed the women's eight that year weighed in at a slight 110 lbs.

Too old or too fat for coxing? Target shooting might be the call.

The Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn was 60 years old when he took home gold in the 1908 Olympics. He picked up a silver medal 12 years later when he was 72--almost 20 years older than life expectancy at the time.

Now you need to find a country willing to send you. Think small. Think non-competitive.

Countries like Ecuador and Paraguay, which each have won a grand total of one medal in the summer games, might have room on their Olympic squads. In fact, there are 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) qualified to participate in the summer games, and many of these don't have enough athletes to compete in every event.

If you are an American, you might not even have to give up your U.S. citizenship. Included among the smallest NOCs are U.S. commonwealths and protectorates such as American Samoa (pop. 58,000), Guam (pop. 176,000) and the Marshall Islands (pop. 62,000). American Samoa only sent two athletes to the 2004 Olympics, Guam sent three and the Marshalls will send their first-ever Olympic squad to Beijing in 2008. You could be part of their future.

Good luck.