The following calendar for the 2008 Olympic Games is the most recent version of the games schedule, last updated 2007-03-29. Each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent a medal-awarding final for a sport. The number in each box represents the number of finals that will be contested on that day.[48]
| ● | Opening ceremony | ● | Event competitions | ● | Event finals | ● | Closing ceremony |
| August | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23rd | 24th | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceremonies | ● | ● | ||||||||||||||||||
| Archery | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Athletics | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 47 | |||||||||
| Badminton | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Baseball | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Basketball | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Boxing | 5 | 6 | 11 | |||||||||||||||||
| Canoeing | 2 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 16 | |||||||||||||||
| Cycling | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||
| Diving | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |||||||||||
| Equestrian | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| Fencing | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | ||||||||||
| Field hockey | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Football (soccer) | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Gymnastics | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||||
| Handball | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Judo | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | ||||||||||||
| Modern pentathlon | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Rowing | 7 | 7 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||
| Sailing | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | |||||||||||||
| Shooting | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||
| Softball | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Swimming | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 34 | |||||||||
| Synchronized swimming | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Table tennis | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Taekwondo | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |||||||||||||||
| Tennis | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||
| Triathlon | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Volleyball | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |||||||||||||||
| Water polo | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Weightlifting | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||
| Wrestling | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 18 | |||||||||||
| August | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | 21st | 22nd | 23rd | 24th | 302 |
Broadcasting
| International Broadcasters | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nation | Broadcaster | Cite |
 Australia | Seven Network | |
 Brazil | Globo | |
 Canada | CBC, Radio-Canada, TSN, RDS | |
 Chile | TVN | |
 China | CCTV-1, CCTV-5 | |
 Finland | YLE TV2 | |
 France | France 2 | |
 Germany | ARD, ZDF | |
 Greece | ERT | |
 Ireland | RTÉ | [49] |
 Italy | RAI (Rai Due) | |
 Japan | NHK, others | |
 Malaysia | Astro, others | |
 Netherlands | NPO/NOS | [50] |
 New Zealand | TV ONE | |
 Singapore | StarHub CableTV, MediaCorp TV | |
 South Korea | KBS | |
 Spain | TVE | |
 United Kingdom | BBC | [51] |
 United States | NBC | |
Likely competitors in the Games, especially swimmers, have voiced dissatisfaction with the IOC's decision to schedule some events to meet the requests of NBC, which paid US$5.7 billion[52] for exclusive United States broadcasting rights to the Summer and Winter Games from 2000 through 2012.[53] NBC requested that popular events, such as swimming, athletics, basketball, and gymnastics, be broadcast live during television primetime in the United States between 8:00 and 11:00 p.m. EDT (between 00:00 and 03:00 UTC) for maximum advertising revenue. This would require events to be held in the early morning between 8:00 and 11:00 a.m., Beijing time. The IOC granted the request for swimming and gymnastics but denied it for athletics and basketball.[54] The IOC has precedent for its decision: at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, some swimming, gymnastics, and athletics finals were held in the morning. Also, at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, gymnastics finals were held in the afternoon which allowed most of Europe to view gymnastics during their primetime.
In the Philippines, for the first time since 1996, state-run television network NBN, was not awarded the broadcast rights to the Beijing games. Instead, the IOC has awarded the broadcast rights of the 2008, 2010 and 2012 Games to Solar Entertainment, a major player in the country's cable television market.[55] However, it is still not known as to how Solar will broadcast the games, although it is likely that Solar will broadcast the games on free TV through NBN, as with the Asian Games in Doha in 2006. It is possible that it could partner with other major television networks, such as RPN (another state-run network where it has a co-production agreement on its primetime block) or ABS-CBN (a commercial and largest TV network where it had previously co-broadcast boxing bouts, and former having broadcasted the games in 1992 Summer Olympics). In 2004, NBN ran into funding issues, which almost inhibited the network from broadcasting the Summer Games in Athens.[56] The IOC's decision likely reflects this issue.
In Canada the public network CBC/Radio-Canada and cable networks TSN and RDS will broadcast its final games before a private consortium involving CTV/Rogers/TQS takes over for the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will be happening within Canadian borders, in Vancouver.
In Brazil the Games will be broadcasted by TV Globo, Rede Bandeirantes (free-to-air) and Sportv, ESPN Brasil and BandSports (cable-tv networks).
Concerns and controversy
Concerns over the games include the potential for boycotts from pro-Tibetan organizations such as Students for a Free Tibet as well as from organizations such as Amnesty International upset with China's involvement in the crisis in Darfur. China has also been battling problems with air pollution both in the city of Beijing and in neighboring areas, which the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) says it hopes to remedy before the games.
Olympic lawmaking
The Beijing municipal authority has declared that more than 70 local laws and decrees would be made before the 2008 Summer Olympics which would banish local people who don't have hukou (residency permits) of Beijing. It would also banish vagrants, beggars, and people with mental illness from the city. The municipal authority also made it clear that it would strengthen border control, call for a "special holiday", or forcible shutout, to make Beijing citizens stay at home during the Olympics. It also seeks to strengthen controls over Chinese and foreign NGOs and forbid any protests during the games. The government has also strengthened its laws relating to prosecution of those deemed to be disseminating material not beneficial to the state.[57]
The Geneva-based group, Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions has claimed that 1.5 million Beijing residents will be displaced from their homes for the Olympics event. Beijing's Olympic organizing committee and China's Foreign Ministry have put the number at 6,037.[58] Some sources say that as of May 2005, 300,000 residents have been evicted in preparation for the games and that police in Beijing placed many people under arrest for protesting against the evictions.[59] While other sources can be found to say that nearly 15,000 people have been relocated.[60]
The Beijing government has issued new mandates that require police officers in the city to act more appropriately. The government has circulated pamphlets urging officers to desist from using foul language, lose their arrogance, and not hang up on people who call to report crimes. They have been told that violators will be reprimanded. By doing this, Beijing hopes to clean up its image in time for the games.[61]
A drive has also been launched to improve the poor English translations common on Chinese signage and labeling in readiness for the Olympics.[62]
Protests and potential boycotts
Boycotts and protests have occurred at past Olympic Games by groups of protesters, activists, and political groups who have had grievances against the host countries or another participating nations. In some cases, these activities have been sanctioned by member states, such as in the 1976, 1980 and 1984 Summer Olympics.
While no state has indicated a willingness to boycott the 2008 games, some groups are initiating independent campaigns to do so and other notable groups have called for protests. It has been reported that Chinese intelligence services were monitoring the activities of foreigners suspected of plotting demonstrations during the Olympics. In addition to monitoring NGOs that are concerned with domestic Chinese issues, the Chinese intelligence is also monitoring possible terrorism-related activities and anti-American demonstrations.[63]
Pro-Tibetan independence groups, such as Students for a Free Tibet, have initiated a campaign to protest the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics.[64][65][66] The group plans to protest for Tibetan independence and objects to the Chinese government's use of the Tibetan antelope (chiru) as one of its five mascots.[67] The Tibetan People's Movement has also demanded representation of Tibet with its own national flag. Hollywood actor Richard Gere in his position as the chairman of the International Campaign for Tibet called for the boycott of the games to put pressure on China to make Tibet independent.
The press freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders has advocated a boycott expressing concerns over violations of free speech and human rights in China. It hopes that international pressure and petition can effect the release of prisoners of conscience, and hold China to promises made to the IOC, regarding improvements in human rights.[68]
Activists working to address the ongoing violence in Darfur, Sudan, have called for pressure to be exerted on China because of their financial and diplomatic support for Omar al-Bashir, who is responsible for the Sudanese government's proxy militias. These advocates, which include actress Mia Farrow, NBA athlete Ira Newble, and Sudan researcher Eric Reeves, have organized a global advocacy campaign called Olympic Dream for Darfur. Some have begun to refer to the Beijing Olympics as the "Genocide Olympics" as noted in The China Post as a way of connecting Beijing's close political and economic ties to the Sudanese regime. The Chinese government, in turn, has criticised the activists for "politicising" the Olympics and outlined its plans to help the Sudanese economy.[69][70]
Calls for sustained pressure and possible boycotts of the Olympics have come from former French presidential candidate François Bayrou,[71] actor and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Mia Farrow,[72] Genocide Intervention Network Representative Ronan Farrow,[72] author and Sudan scholar Eric Reeves[73] and the The Washington Post editorial board.[74] Filmmaker Steven Spielberg, founder of the USC Shoah Foundation Institute for Visual History and Education, sent a letter to Hu Jintao on April 2, 2007 to discuss and possibly end China's involvement in the conflict.[75] In February 2008, Spielberg announced he was stepping down from his role as an artistic advisor in protest of the Chinese government's refusal to pressure Khartoum to stop the "continuing human suffering" in the Darfur region. He noted: "Sudan's government bears the bulk of the responsibility for these on-going crimes, but the international community, and particularly China, should be doing more."[76] Additionally, a group of 106 lawmakers in the United States have circulated a letter calling for the US to boycott the coming Olympics because of China's support of the Sudanese regime and the forced relocation[59] of 300,000 Chinese poor to make room for the games.[77] Congresswoman Maxine Waters introduced a similar resolution in early August 2007.[78]
On September 28, 2007, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Desmond Tutu urged China to intervene in the ongoing protests in Myanmar. Tutu said that if China did not take a stance against the military rulers in Myanmar he would "join a campaign to boycott the Beijing Olympics".[79] His call has been taken up by the US Campaign for Burma.
The British Olympic Association (BOA) will require that before leaving for China, British Olympic team members sign an agreement, stating that they "are not to comment on any politically sensitive issues." However, BOA spokesman Graham Newsom stated that the BOA didn't intend to censor athletes, and referred to a rule in the International Olympic Committee charter which states, "No kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas."[80][81]
The Chinese government did however get a boost from US President George W. Bush, who declined to support actions taken in protest of the Chinese government, declaring: "I view the Olympics as a sporting event."[82]
Environmental and health issues
Concern has been raised over the air quality of Beijing and its potential effect on the athletes.[c] Although the Beijing Municipal Government, in its bid file in 2001, committed to lowering air pollution, increasing environmental protection, and introducing environmental technology,[83] research data show that even if the city were to dramatically cut down its emissions, pollution would still drift over the neighboring provinces,[84] from which 50 percent of Beijing's air is believed to originate.[85] At current levels, air pollution is at least 2 to 3 times higher than levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization. Marco Cardinale of the British Olympic Association has stated that air pollution coupled with heat and humidity makes it "very unlikely we'll see outstanding performances in endurance sports."[84] Despite this, Beijing, in its commitment to improve air quality, will remove 60,000 taxis and buses from the roads by the end of 2007 and plans to relocate 200 local factories, including a prominent steel factory,[84] before the games begin.[85] The Chinese government has provided assurances that "blue skies are a requirement not only for Beijing, but also for the places around it."[86] The United States Olympic Committee has also expressed its assurance that the air quality of Beijing will not be a concern for the U.S. delegation to the games.[87]
In spite of such efforts, several countries have indicated that their athletes will arrive at the games as late as possible to limit exposure to pollution.[88]
Meteorological findings in April 2007 also have suggested that, based on rainfall data from the past 30 years, there is a 50 percent chance of rain for the opening and closing ceremonies of the games.[89][90] To combat the chance of poor weather, Beijing officials plan to seed clouds to induce rain several days before the games begin by shooting thousands of silver iodate pellets into the air using ground-based rockets.[91][92] While the effectiveness of this method is questionable, Beijing is optimistic that it will reduce the chance of rainfall during the games,[93] and planned to carry out several tests as a practice in the summer of 2007, one year before the games begin.[91] Officials have also stated that inducing rain should also remove some of the pollution from the air.[90]
Another issue of concern is that of Beijing's poor tap water supply. A high-ranking Beijing official has stated that tap water in the city should be avoided.[citation needed] The water coming out of the water plants is safe, according to Bi Xiaogang of the Beijing Water Management Bureau; the process of transporting the water throughout the city is what contaminates it. Beijing is suffering from a drought of 15 years as well as a lack of major fresh water sources elsewhere, so many locals drink bottled water instead of that from the tap.[94] Officials of the city water authority have ensured, however, that "the safety and efficiency of the water system" will be maintained and that the recycled water supplied to the Olympic Village will be as clean as tap water.[95]
Following recent scares regarding the safety of food products manufactured in China, the United States Olympic Committee has decided to import food for its athletes. In particular, athletes were concerned that eating meat that was raised in China could contain enough steroids to cause the athletes to test positive for steroid use.[96] The United States Olympic Committee's plan to bring its own food to China has disappointed the leader of food services for the Beijing Olympics.[97]
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий