Beijing Olympic Torch Relay

[baron-pierreIV]

They're playing with...."fire"!!

[Faster]

Mainad because of the nature of the Himalayas and their continued tectonic activity means that K2 and Everest fluctuate as the worlds tallest mountain.

[nykfan845]

How different can it be? There is still the basic mechanism of a small storage chamber for the gas, a wick etc., etc.. It has to be safe, practical, lightweight, some 10,000 have to be manufactured and shipped to the several hundred stops. I mean, really what more do you want? Try processing all the practical requirements of such a device -- AND then merging it will all the complexities of the Torch Relay, and I don't think you'll get anything much more different.

The 'glass' design of Zainhasan was innovative, but in the long run IMPRACTICAL. If they used actual glass, many hundreds would have broken up, if not by the heat, then in transport -- even before or shortly after they were used. In the end, I think it was also expensive -- which is why they always end up with a mainly aluminum torch; PLUS it's more cost efficient.

DON't expect the moon guys. You're setting yourselves up for a big disappointment.

[nykfan845]

Sorry, what I meant to say is that Baron is right.

[Sir Rols]

Sorry, what I meant to say is that Baron is right.

Exactly, it's just a TORCH guys, and a pumped-up pre-Olympics pep rally to gee up the locals. It's not the unveiling of the world's greatest work of art and a sacred pilgrimage to bring peace to the world.

Geez, I must be grumpy and curmudgeonly today!

[Faster]

glass, wood and metal have been used in previous torches, not much else can be used.

I would say that they could be different in form, since Albertville the torches have been very artistic in form some way or another. Also the use of colour could be used like Torino or Sydney. Details of the torch my be different as well, like the use of rope on Nagano's. How the flame sits aswell, since almost all torches for the last little while have a different flame shape.

The way the Athen's torch carried the flame was terrible and ugly, hopefully they can improve on that and have a flame like Sydney or Nagano

[Xu Wen-Ting]

Thanks Xu Wen Ting, lets see what will they show us, are you from China?

I am very excited

Yes,im from China. I live in Harbin China. A central city in Northeast China.

the 24th Winter Universade will be hosted in my home city Harbin.

I came GB in Jan. 2004.

We are all wait the torch design and the torch rely plan. And now im sure that Olympic torch will pass in Harbin.

Hope there are not too much changes in Taiwan.That's important for Chinese people each side.Many people in Taiwan hope they could see the torch rely as Olympic hosters.

And also hope your dream will come true. i also hope Pakistan will on the list.

Good luck.

[zainhasan15]

I got a news from some secret sourse that BOCOG will reveal torch in 2009, becaues they are doing research on a speacial human emotion, known as "suspense".

[AdisterBryce]

I got a news from some secret sourse that BOCOG will reveal torch in 2009, becaues they are doing research on a speacial human emotion, known as "suspense".

Umm, If they reveal the torch in 2009, how will the torch be carriedin 2008? Will they keep a blanket over it so that no body will se it? Last time i checked, 2009 comes after 2008. Maybe you were think of the Vancouver 2010 torch that will be revealed in 2009.

[zainhasan15]

Umm, If they reveal the torch in 2009, how will the torch be carriedin 2008? Will they keep a blanket over it so that no body will se it? Last time i checked, 2009 comes after 2008. Maybe you were think of the Vancouver 2010 torch that will be revealed in 2009.

IT WAS JUST A SATIRE, A JOKE ON BOCOG

and at last they are going to show us

[zainhasan15]

That's true. I think that the Olympic Flame should reach the host city not earlier than a couple of days before the opening ceremony. Thus the anticipation can rise and it's something very special when the flame finally enters the host city. But now, there won't be a lot of anticipation in Beijing when the flame already stops over in the city before the torch relay begins.

I thought that this "two stopovers in the host city" concept made sense only in Athens since the city hosted the first modern Olympic Games, then gave it to other cities of the world and finally the Games returned home after that long global journey.

YES, they copied 100% concept of Athens 2004. Thier domestic map seems to be a web of wild-african spider, I think they are going to spend more costs on air travel of flame rather than on Torch relay, as they selected cities far away from each other.

And if you observe closely, there is no chain, line or route of torch relay, actually they just selected cities around the globe (without any concept) and drawn line from each city to another.

The biggest question in my mind is still unclear, Why torch is going directly to beijing from Athens?? dont they know meaning of torch relay? or are they greatly influensed by Athens 2004?

SO LADIES AND GENTLE MEN, WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR OPENING CEREMONY?????????? I THINK IT WILL BE HORRIBLE, EXCEPT FIREWORK SHOW.

[baron-pierreIV]

They've made these plans, Zain, to purposely IRK you. They said: OK, let's plan the Torch Relay, the Design of the Torch, and 'horrible Ceremonies' so that we irritate that one poster on the GamesBids site, Zainhasan15.

I would feel pretty important if they were doing it just for me that way, Z.

[Guardian]

Here is that BBC article about making roadwork for the Mount Everest part of the Olympic torch relay.

Link: BBC: Everest Olympic Road Work Begins

[Guardian]

It is now over and the Olympic torch relay has now been changed. Chinese Taipei (the island of Taiwan) is officially OUT of the international Olympic torch relay. Most of us kind of figured out what has mainly caused this turn of events.

Link: CBC: Taiwan Won't See Beijing Olympic Torch

The Beijing organizing committee said Taiwan was to blame for the impasse that will prevent the 2008 Olympic torch from coming to the island.

(Teh Eng Koon/AFP/Getty Images)

That, on top of the news lately that the island tried unsuccessfully to become a UN member again.

This is the BBC interpretation of this news.

Link: BBC: Olympic Torch Will Bypass Taiwan

China and Taiwan have been wrangling over the issue for months

UPDATED MAP of this part of the international Olympic Torch Relay

Edited September 21, 2007 by Guardian

[cfm Jeremie]

My understanding of the whole story is that the blame lies mainly on some Taiwan politicians who went against the wishes of the Chinese Taipe NOC which was ready to welcome the torch.

Another example of politics being more important than people / athletes.

[Olympian2004]

Whoever is to blame -- this is another shameful example of excessive political interference into sports events. And I guess that this is only the preface to even more political Olympic Games next year...

[baron-pierreIV]

I never thought it would happen. It would've been so easy to embarass Beijing (and the IOC) with little shennanigans of the Taiwanese (I'm not saying Beijing doesn't deserve it) -- but if I were the Taiwanese, I would've agreed to everything Beijing and the IOC wanted, and then DISREGARD all those agreements when the Flame got to Taiwan -- just to make a point. But then again, they didn't ask me.

[rav3n]

Well, what did you expected?. With so much tension and hate between these two countries, i knew that this was going to happen soon or later (from the very beggining the taiwanese politicians were complaining with the route)...and be careful if Taiwan decides to boycott the games on a future.

The sixteen years of no politic intromission at the olympics have ended with this, i'm truly dissapointed with the chinese

[NOC]

BOCOG are to blame

Stupid requests about the use of flags.

The higher management of BOCOG is so politicised and filled with their own self importance, wait and see, during the opening ceremony it will be filled with SUITS.

For the ceremony they allocated 26,000 tickets to their local market and 33,000 tickets to the sponsors and ALL the other countries in the world. That gives us 21,000 Government Officals to take up the rest!

Honestly everyone knew that the Chinese Government would control these Games, so why the surpise now??? The Republic of China Taiwan Will boycot these Games and rightly so!

[Olympian2004]

For the ceremony they allocated 26,000 tickets to their local market and 33,000 tickets to the sponsors and ALL the other countries in the world. That gives us 21,000 Government Officals to take up the rest!

That's possible -- but it's also possible that the organisers plan to seat the athletes during the ceremony and thus allocated 11,000 tickets to them. That would make "only" 10,000 government officials...

[cfm Jeremie]

BOCOG are to blame

Stupid requests about the use of flags.

Honestly everyone knew that the Chinese Government would control these Games, so why the surpise now??? The Republic of China Taiwan Will boycot these Games and rightly so!

Yea, because boycot will help improving relation between Taiwan and China... It will only ruin the opportunity for some Taiwanese athletes to take part in what could be the greatest competition in their carreer and for what result? And you criticize China for politicising the issue? Talk about hypocrisy... If some athletes do not want to take part, let it be their choice.

Taiwan politicians have always worked against their NOC in this whole stupid story. They are as much to blame as Chinese politicians: it takes two people to dance. Besides, as many have said here already, Taiwan could always agree about the request about the flag. If Taiwanese really wanted to display some national flags during the torch relay, they could probably have done so anyway.

[cfm Jeremie]

For the ceremony they allocated 26,000 tickets to their local market and 33,000 tickets to the sponsors and ALL the other countries in the world. That gives us 21,000 Government Officals to take up the rest!

And media, Olympic Family officials....

[Tanaka_Ray]

Well, what did you expected?. With so much tension and hate between these two countries, i knew that this was going to happen soon or later (from the very beggining the taiwanese politicians were complaining with the route)...and be careful if Taiwan decides to boycott the games on a future.

The sixteen years of no politic intromission at the olympics have ended with this, i'm truly dissapointed with the chinese

Is this confirmed ? So Taiwan will boycott Beijing 2008 ? What a shameful... Taiwanese and Chinese actually are brother, they are from the same ancestor, but because they are different in their ideology, they became like this....

[rav3n]

Is this confirmed ? So Taiwan will boycott Beijing 2008 ? What a shameful... Taiwanese and Chinese actually are brother, they are from the same ancestor, but because they are different in their ideology, they became like this....

No. It's just what i fear it could happen, but they haven't speaked. Besides, if the national olympic comittee wants to participate on the games they can, remember that countries like UK, at Moscow 80, supported the boycott to the olympics but they let their national olympic comittee to compete on the games if they wanted to.

[Chateau Petrus]

Hi everyone.

It's easy to find a map with the itinery of the flame, but is there a place where we can find a timetable with the date ?

Next year, before going to Beijing for the games, I will make a stop in Shanghai (from august 2th to august 6th).

I'm just wondering if by any chance I will be there at the same time the flame will pass in Shanghai.

Also, another question : Cosport advised a lot of us that we will receive our tickets confirmation before the end of september. Since we are very close, nobody have news from them if they will be on time ? (with no additional delay)

I'm very excited (and I'm sure I am not the only one here), and I can't wait to know the results.

Thanks.