Beijing Olympics thread(Protests and calls for boycotts)

[brunota2003]

I also do not fully believe either side, not to mention China does not want what happened to be leaked out in the first place.

[Derek Ortt]

how about both sides on this Tibet issue have a bit of a reality check

WQY, you're being fed propaganda (Chinese government). To my fellow Americans, we're being fed opposite propaganda (from the Tibet side). The truth lies somewhere in between

And boycotting the opening ceremony is pointless. It solves nothing and reeks of politics. Either stay home completely or just show up. POLITICS SHOULD NEVER INTERFERE WITH SPORT OR SCIENCE AND THE OLYMPICS ARE SPORT. On this part, I have to agree with WQY.

[lurkey]

. POLITICS SHOULD NEVER INTERFERE WITH SPORT OR SCIENCE AND THE OLYMPICS ARE SPORT. On this part, I have to agree with WQY.

What should and actually is are often two different things ---

. . . whatever, the reason I will be barely paying attention to Olympic Games has nothing to do with China, Tibet and more to do with out right annoyance with the Olympic organization itself. Between judging scandals, drug scandals, bribery scandals and downright stupidity by the IOC, I really am having a hard time caring about the Olympic Games for the past 6 years (2 Winter and 1 Summer for those counting). . . as I said the TV thread -- I'm preparing a rather long summer reading list. ..

[Cryomaniac]

how about both sides on this Tiber issue have a bit of a reality check

WQY, you're being fed propaganda (Chinese government). To my fellow Americans, we're being fed opposite propaganda (from the Tiber side). The truth lies somewhere in between

Exactly what I said, but worded better.

And boycotting the opening ceremony is pointless. It solves nothing and reeks of politics. Either stay home completely or just show up. POLITICS SHOULD NEVER INTERFERE WITH SPORT OR SCIENCE AND THE OLYMPICS ARE SPORT. On this part, I have to agree with WQY.

Exactly, politics shouldn't interfere with sport, but it does anyway.

[RL3AO]

On a side note, I like FIFA's rules. If a government interferes with a nations football (soccer) association, they are banned from international competition.

Ex: US Gov't interferes with US Soccer Federation...US soccer team is banned from all or certain competitions. It happened to Greece in 2006.

I wish the IOC would adopt something like that. Governments and politics have no place in the Olympics, in my opinion.

[brunota2003]

So, if the U.S. gov't interferes with the Soccer team, the Soccer players themselves are punished? Isn't that a little...wrong? Why punish those, who push themselves so hard to achieve their goals, because their gov't decides they have to open their big mouths?

[RL3AO]

So, if the U.S. gov't interferes with the Soccer team, the Soccer players themselves are punished? Isn't that a little...wrong? Why punish those, who push themselves so hard to achieve their goals, because their gov't decides they have to open their big mouths?

Thats their way of keeping government and politics out of soccer. Anywhere outside of the US and Canada, if you caused the national team to get banned from competitions, don't bother to run for reelection.

[Ptarmigan]

Thats their way of keeping government and politics out of soccer. Anywhere outside of the US and Canada, if you caused the national team to get banned from competitions, don't bother to run for reelection.

Soccer is king.

[Ptarmigan]

I wonder why Shanghai or Hong Kong did not get the 2008 Olympics? I think they would be a better choice because they are considered international cities and people associate China with those cities.

[Cryomaniac]

The problem with Hong Kong is a perceived lack of space, not sure why Shanghai wouldn't by chosen, but it's not very often a non-capital city is chosen.

[RL3AO]

The problem with Hong Kong is a perceived lack of space, not sure why Shanghai wouldn't by chosen, but it's not very often a non-capital city is chosen.

I decided to look it up. 17 of 27 Summer Olympics (20 of 30 counting canceled Olympics) have been held in capital cities.


United States - 4 (LA x2, St. Louis, Atlanta)
Australia - 2 (Melbourne, Sydney)
Belgium - 1 (Antwerp)
West Germany - 1 (Munich)
Canada - 1 (Montreal)
Spain - 1 (Barcelona)

[senorpepr]

The problem with Hong Kong is a perceived lack of space, not sure why Shanghai wouldn't by chosen, but it's not very often a non-capital city is chosen.

I decided to look it up. 18 of 27 Summer Olympics (21 of 30 counting canceled Olympics) have been held in capital cities.


United States - 4 (LA x2, St. Louis, Atlanta)
Australia - 2 (Melbourne, Sydney)
Belgium - 1 (Antwerp)
West Germany - 1 (Munich)
Canada - 1 (Montreal)

What about the '92 Olympics in Barcelona? I think it's 17/27

[RL3AO]

What about the '92 Olympics in Barcelona? I think it's 17/27

Fixed

[lurkey]

The problem with Hong Kong is a perceived lack of space, not sure why Shanghai wouldn't by chosen, but it's not very often a non-capital city is chosen.

I decided to look it up. 17 of 27 Summer Olympics (20 of 30 counting canceled Olympics) have been held in capital cities.


United States - 4 (LA x2, St. Louis, Atlanta)
Australia - 2 (Melbourne, Sydney)
Belgium - 1 (Antwerp)
West Germany - 1 (Munich)
Canada - 1 (Montreal)
Spain - 1 (Barcelona)

If you look at the list, these cities are often a lot bigger than the capitals. They often have better athletic facilities, located near better bodies of water (for kayaking, sailing, etc), more internationally known and hotel accomadations.

The only expectations would be Montreal and Barcelona. I think some (internal) political reasons can be given to their cities winning the Games. Barcelona being the capital of Basque culture and home of the IOC (at the time) president and Montreal being the capital of French Canada. I can see that there might be appeasement issues (to the Basques and the French-Canadians) of offering those cities vs Madrid and Vancouver (yes, I know Ottawa is the capital, Vancouver is the city, other than Montreal, that has the facilities (and international known) that could handle the Oympic Games)

[HurricaneBill]

Summer Olympics:

1896: Athens, Greece
1900: Paris, France
1904: St. Louis, Missouri, USA
1908: London, Great Britain, UK
1912: Stockholm, Sweden
1916: not held
1920: Antwerp, Belgium
1924: Paris, France
1928: Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932: Los Angeles, California, USA
1936: Berlin, Germany
1940: not held
1944: not held
1948: London, Great Britain, UK
1952: Helsinki, Finland
1956: Melbourne, Australia
1960: Rome, Italy
1964: Tokyo, Japan
1968: Mexico City, Mexico
1972: Munich, Germany
1976: Montreal, Canada
1980: Moscow, Russia
1984: Los Angeles, California, USA
1988: Seoul, South Korea
1992: Barcelona, Spain
1996: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
2000: Sydney, Australia
2004: Athens, Greece
2008: Beijing, China
2012: London, Great Britain, UK

Winter Olympics:

1924: Chamonix, France
1928: St. Moritz, Switzerland
1932: Lake Placid, New York, USA
1936: Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
1940: not held
1944: not held
1948: St. Moritz, Switzerland
1952: Oslo, Norway
1956: Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy
1960: Squaw Valley, California, USA
1964: Innsbruck, Austria
1968: Grenoble, France
1972: Sapporo, Japan
1976: Innsbruck, Austria
1980: Lake Placid, New York, USA
1984: Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina
1988: Calgary, Canada
1992: Albertville, France
1994: Lillehammer, Norway
1998: Nagano, Japan
2002: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
2006: Turin, Italy
2010: Vancouver, Canada
2014: Sochi, Russia