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The Games of the XXIX Olympiad


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Now that the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games is over, the next immediate focus of the Olympic Movement is the upcoming Beijng 2008 Olympic Games up to the opening day of August 8, 2008. Let's just say that things will get interesting one way or the other. For those who want to see the official website for Beijing 2008, come here: Official Website Of The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
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Now that the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games is over, the next immediate focus of the Olympic Movement is the upcoming Beijng 2008 Olympic Games up to the opening day of August 8, 2008. Let's just say that things will get interesting one way or the other. For those who want to see the official website for Beijing 2008, come here: Official Website Of The Beijing 2008 Olympic Games

with less than 900 days to go it wont take long for the games to come around

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However, the intensity on BOCOG and China to prepare for these Games will be high. I'm confident that the Games will be ready on time, but it will be a trying time on Chinese resolve on other things, if you know what I mean. As we get closer to opening day, this forum will get more busier.
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However, the intensity on BOCOG and China to prepare for these Games will be high. I'm confident that the Games will be ready on time, but it will be a trying time on Chinese resolve on other things, if you know what I mean. As we get closer to opening day, this forum will get more busier.

yea i agree

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With less than 2 years to go, it seems that there will be at least one change to one NOC flag in the opening ceremony. For example, Rwanda seemed to have changed theirs for Athens 2004 from Sydney 2000. Now, a couple of new NOCs could be starting their Olympic odyssey at Beijing 2008, along with a different flag look:

Link: BBC: Lesotho Unfurls 'Peaceful' Flag

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With less than 2 years to go, it seems that there will be at least one change to one NOC flag in the opening ceremony. For example, Rwanda seemed to have changed theirs for Athens 2004 from Sydney 2000. Now, a couple of new NOCs could be starting their Olympic odyssey at Beijing 2008, along with a different flag look:

Link: BBC: Lesotho Unfurls 'Peaceful' Flag

interesting thanks!!!

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Boy, North Korea made things difficult for China now. Talk about a light show spectacular there that is reminiscent of Nazi Germany's torch parade, before the real fireworks began. Let's hope that the Beijing Games can even go ahead, despite that "slap in the face."

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Boy, North Korea made things difficult for China now. Talk about a light show spectacular there that is reminiscent of Nazi Germany's torch parade, before the real fireworks began. Let's hope that the Beijing Games can even go ahead, despite that "slap in the face."

I wouldn't worry about that _ if old Kim threatened the Beijing games, I'm sure the Chinese would leave the hermit kingdom a heap of glowing slag.

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I wouldn't worry about that _ if old Kim threatened the Beijing games, I'm sure the Chinese would leave the hermit kingdom a heap of glowing slag.

O YEA. If North Korea where to even mention harming 2008, China would go on death march in a heart beat.

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I wouldn't worry about that _ if old Kim threatened the Beijing games, I'm sure the Chinese would leave the hermit kingdom a heap of glowing slag.

In a way, he has already done so. Indirectly, I think China got "humiliated" because it is the only true friend in the world and Beijing is not that far away from North Korea. On top of that, this is what it gets to "stabilize North Korea." What will China do now? Can it "join in" in making UN sanctions stick? Can it just let the status quo continue on between the two nations? Right now, I don't want to be in the leadership making that decision.

Rogge will be in China and Beijing to attend the fifth edition of the World Forum on Sport, Education and Culture. He will also attend the plenary session of the seventh IOC Coordination Commission.

Link: Beijing 2008: President Rogge To Visit China

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Next week, the IOC Coordination Commission for Beijing 2008 will return to the city:

Link: Beijing 2008: Coordination Commission Back In Beijing

It'll be interesting to see if they say anything new. Up to now, just about efvery coordination commission visit has come up with a statement on how impressed they are with progress, and maybe the Chinese should even slow down a bit.

I suppose it's a nice change for the IOC after Athens.

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i think we will be hearing more of the same! Progress Progress Progress!

Pretty close, actually. Rogge's basically saying they are doing things well, but gave a hint about how they may have to improve their image:

BEIJING, Oct 24, 2006 (AFP) - International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Jacques Rogge praised Beijing's work on hosting the 2008 Olympics here Tuesday but expressed concern about the world's image of China.

The IOC chief, on his first visit to Beijing since October last year, said that Beijing had done ``magnificent'' work towards staging a technically top quality Olympics.

``However, we should all remember that the Games are not judged solely by the technical proficiency of the project, but also through the perception that the world has of the Games,'' Rogge said in a speech.

``We must therefore ensure that while all the technical elements are in place, that we do not forget to look after the less tangible elements that will ultimately shape the world's image of China and the Beijing Games.''

Rogge was speaking at the opening of a three-day session of the IOC's Coordination Commission chaired by Dutchman Hein Verbruggen that is working with the Beijing Olympic organizing committee in planning the Games.

Rogge did not elaborate on his concerns about the world's perception of China. However, Beijing's image has been hurt since his last visit here by concern over human rights and reports of a crackdown on media freedom ahead of the Games.

But organizers of the Games have received high marks from Verbruggen's commission, on its seventh visit to the Chinese capital.

``When I speak to my IOC colleagues, particularly to chairman Verbruggen ... they all tell me how impressed they are with the progress that our Chinese friends are making in developing the Beijing 2008 project,'' Rogge said.

The IOC chief also remarked on China's rise as a sporting power, noting their success in Athens in 2004 and said they would be a force during the 2008 Games.

``With 63 medals won at the Athens Games, of which 32 were gold, the progress of Chinese athletes at the Olympic Games has been remarkable over the past 22 years,'' he said.

Later Tuesday, the IOC chief is to tour the main Olympic Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest because of its signature structure of twisted steel beams, and the so-called Water Cube, the cutting edge venue for aquatic sports.

Rogge departs Beijing Thursday after a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Wednesday.

AFP

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Guess some NOCs don't like the swimming finals take place in the morning:

BBC: Anger At Beijing Swimming Switch

Perhaps I shouldn't be surprised that this has happened, but deep down I was hoping and was a little hopeful that the IOC wouldn't rape sports for one television network.

There is no need for the swimming finals to be in the morning other than to give NBC what they requested no matter what crap the IOC spews forth in defending the decision.

NBC can make the request, but the IOC don't have to bow down to them. It is still annoying that NBC made the request in the first place but they must have known they would have a good chance of seeing it done.

I wonder though what really took place behind the scenes, both in what the IOC and NBC discussed and what the IOC apparently "discussed" with other networks and stakeholders.

The argument that this has been done before is pointless, as again it was at the request of a US network.

The argument that athletes can and will adapt is also pointless, it's not about that.

Athletes wouldn't have to adapt if the swimming schedule was left the way it has been.

I've also read (can't remember where, if it was here or not) that the request was also made in Sydney but it was denied by the Sydney organisers.

Of course China isn't going to complain, it's Olympics just got live prime time coverage in the US. It's not thinking about the athletes either.

When did all this get bigger than the athletes?!

Despite what the IOC release in statements, what they did is plain wrong.

This is evidenced not just by the coaches around the world who have compained (as with the link above) but also the world's top swimmers who also complained, wrote letters and lobbied the IOC. I guess they weren't part of the consultation process.

Funny, the world's top swimmers minus those in the US. I refuse to believe that they too believe this is a GOOD move for the SPORT of swimming (and not just it's publicity in the US).

Don't confuse what's good for the sport with more publicity in the US. That is not good for the sport, that is only good for US swimmers, who stand to benefit financially.

As many elsewhere have stated, why bother? So US viewers get swimming live during prime time for 8 days every 4 years?!

Well, screw the rest of the world and it's swimming fans who don't care what time the swimming is and watch it anyway.

Screw those not fickle enough to ignore swimming between the Olympics.

Please note, this is not about the US as a nation, or the swimming fans there, who obviously didn't make the decision. This is about the IOC and NBC. The IOC especially, who after bad decision after another seem to continue making them.

Sorry I haven't talked about Gymnastics, the same would apply there too, but as a swimming fan I am irked.

And not so much about what the time difference means to Australian viewers (who got up at 3am to watch the swimming finals from Athens every single day) as the finals in 2008 would then be 11am Australian time, which personally suits me fine. What irks me is that the IOC obviously and clearly is not in a position to best represent Olympic sports or their athletes.

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