posted Feb 8, 2008

The 2008 Olympics will be forever known as "The Gasmask Games". The IOC will NOT be proud once the hundreds and thousands of respitory problems caused by this event are uncovered.

I, for one, will laugh.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

As long as the regime in Beijing imprisons people for merely speaking publicly against them and as long as they occupy Tibet, there is no way that the Olympics should be in Beijing. The IOC are a corrupt organisation who need to remove their heads from their collective backsides.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

I'd be surprised if there's a major city in the world that doesn't have pollution problems of one sort or another. So please let's not fall into the trap which our media are doing and think of all the reasons why Beijing is the wrong choice. The choice was made seven years ago - rightly or wrongly - and no choice is ever acceptable for all.
Let's embrace the Games for what they are supposed to be - the Greatest Show on Earth showcasing the youth of today. It's as meaningful for today's trouble-strewn planet as ever. Dreams are important.
If you're a cynic you can always switch channels and watch fantasy TV.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

this is an absolute disgrace. The human rights record of this government is atrocious. This is on a par with the Berlin games of 1936 under a Nazi government.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

I'd be surprised if there's a major city in the world that doesn't have pollution problems of one sort or another. So please let's not fall into the trap which our media are doing and think of all the reasons why Beijing is the wrong choice. The choice was made seven years ago - rightly or wrongly - and no choice is ever acceptable for all.


I doubt there is a major city that has as severe a problem with pollution in the world as does Beijing though, and in a country that does little to nothing to reduce their emissions. Even the US doesn't suffer the kind of polluted smog that befalls Beijing.
That aside, there probably isn't a major country in the world that at present has a human rights record half as bad as the Chinese. That aside, the chinese public are amongst the most welcoming in the world and are proud and passionate about everything they do, so if they can get behind the olympics in the face of what they have to live with, then for them we must too.
There are steps to cut the pollution to a minimum while the games are on, public holidays, halving the traffic on the streets etc etc, so hopefully that won't be to much of a problem. Hopefully the chinese government will set about cleaning the street corners up humanely and turn around that problem to, so yes it will be a success.
The leader of the country went to great pains to be seen on worldwide news helping the relief effort for the people caught out in the freak bad weather, helping un load supplies and making promises. Its a start, and even his government have held their hands up and said they were caught out by this, an act no one before this year would have dreamt about coming from a chinese government. Maybe its cynical to think that this was because it was olympic year but an effort is being made. Give them a chance, and if it all blows up in their faces then so be it.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

Will Beijing prove to be the correct choice? Obviously not.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

agreed on pollution and human right. As far as occupying Tibet is concerned (I am NOT condoning it by any means), what about the unjustified (based on a lie!) invasion/occupation of Iraq in which Britain played an important role(second only to USA)? Should London 2012 also be considered a poor choice?

One should NOT use double standard just because UK/US are the major Western powers and therefore they can get away with things they accuse others of doing!

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posted Feb 8, 2008

I would say that the history of the Olympic Games is not clean by any means. Just explore some games in the past and you would see Human Rights violations and/or environmental destruction right at the corner of most of the games. (I do not see differences between Mexico 68 and Beijing 08). Olympic Games are a huge national propaganda, and for the sake of the nation governments will do whatever is possible to shine the pavements. Of course, it is easy for organizers to say that they think more in hopes than political realities. But history proves that this statement is not new and it will never work without strong statements. Organizers will say whatever is expected from them, they are not creative and or valiant, just followers.
Just in case, I practice and love Olympic/amateur sports.

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posted Feb 8, 2008

I would imagine Sepp Blatter will join the IOC when he is eventually found out by the football world.I hope its not before 2012

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posted Feb 10, 2008

According to Five Live News this morning the British Olympics Committee is making Olympic athletes sign a contract that includes a promise not to comment on political issues. So much for a commitment to human rights. What a sham. Mens venalis in corpore sano.

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Yes lets all sign these no comment contracts

If you sweep a problem under the carpet doesn't it go away and not be a problem anymore

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posted Feb 10, 2008

"Should London 2012 also be considered a poor choice?"

Yes of course.
But then again invading a country now seems to be a precondition for being awarded OG.

2008 SOG awarded to Beijing (invaded Tibet)
2012 SOG awarded to London (invaded Iraq)
2014 Winter Games awarded to Sochi (invaded Tchetchenia)....

Did someone say "corruption"?

Boston should have no problems for 2016!!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Giselle Davis, of course the IOC had made the right decision. The IOC had put a noose around Beijing's neck, what more do we want? Watch as Beijing choked on its own crimes against humanity as each human rights groups around the world tug on that noose. At this stage, I might like to remind the Chinese Communist Party that there is a God and the Communist Party is not God, much as you want to belief you are. Fancy interfering with Mother Nature just so that it won't rain on the opening and closing ceremony. It is no wonder that you had that destructive snowstorm recently. Yes, Beijing, you had to apologise to your population for leaving millions stranded and shivering because of your stupid pride!!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Very well put, I hope that this will be the most public demise of the evil party that is the CCP. The clauses put in the contract speak volumes of the overbearing nature of these torturers. They think they can fool people by these false promises and bare faced lies on human rights etc. Their hand is being shown. If you have the chance to speak out about their atrocities, do the right thing, go for it!

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posted Feb 10, 2008

Firstly, a distinction needs to be made concerning the invasions of Iraq and Tibet; the occupation of Iraq by foreign troops is unlikely to be without end. Secondly, the issue of Tibet can only be a secondary issue as so far as the Olympics is concerned. Freedom of speech and of reporting deserve the attention of the world and the IOC furthermore, this freedom must extend to both those resident in PROC and those who are simply visiting or competing there. Thus the disgraces and embarrassments incurred by the CCP will not go unnoticed by the populace at large. Moreover, by focussing on this as opposed to issues concerning Xinjiang and Tibet no claims of hypocrisy can be made; try asking a Chinese person resident in the PROC about Tibet and the reply will often voice the double standards of Western nations in matters such as Iraq or Northern Ireland.

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posted Feb 12, 2008

No. I for one will not be watching the Olympic Games...the first one I have missed for 44 years. And please don't compare China with Iraq,Israel or Afghanistan, because you all know it's not the same. The IOC erred and it's as simple as that.
A shame all round I reckon.

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posted Feb 13, 2008

Correction (above).

Were the IOC right to award the Games to Beijing? Do you think they will be (a) success?

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posted Feb 13, 2008

Yes I think Beijing will be one of the best Olympics games in the history of Olympics games so far.

Tina
http://www.ekhichdi.com

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posted Feb 13, 2008

I am tired of people talking about politics and human rights issues. Let's have one of the best olympics games in beijing. And hopefully British team can bring back more medals than they did in Athens.

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