2008 Summer Olympics

"Beijing 2008" redirects here. For the video game, see Beijing 2008 (video game). For the 2008 Paralympic Games, see 2008 Summer Paralympics. This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters. Games of the XXIX Olympiad The "Dancing Beijing" emblem, depicting a Chinese seal inscribed with the character "Jīng" (京), from the name of the host city in the form of a dancing figure. Host city Beijing, China Motto 同一个世界 同一个梦想 (One World, One Dream) Nations participating 204 NOCs Athletes participating 11,0281 Events 302 in 28 sports Opening ceremony August 8 Closing ceremony August 24 Officially opened by President Hu Jintao Athlete's Oath Zhang Yining Judge's Oath Huang Liping Olympic Torch Li Ning Stadium Beijing National Stadium 2008 Summer Olympics Bid process Venues Marketing Concerns and controversies Torch relay (route) Opening ceremony (flag bearers) Medal table (medalists) Closing ceremony Event calendar Chronological summary Paralympics (medal table) IOC · COC · SF&OCHK · BOCOG The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, were a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008.[a] A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events (a total of one event more than the schedule of the 2004 Games). China became the 22nd nation to host the Olympic Games and the 18th to hold a Summer Olympic Games. It was the third time that the Summer Olympic Games were held in Asia, after Tokyo, Japan in 1964 and Seoul, South Korea in 1988. These Games were the third time that Olympic events have been held in the territories of two different NOCs, as the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong.[b] Beijing was awarded the Games over four competitors on July 13, 2001, having won an absolute majority of votes from members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after two rounds of voting.2 The Government of the People's Republic of China promoted the Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transportation systems. A total of 37 venues were used to host the events including 12 constructed for use at the Games. The official logo of these Olympic Games, titled "Dancing Beijing", featured a stylised calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning capital), referring to the host city. Media outlets reported unprecedented audience interest in the Games, and these Olympics had the largest television audience in Olympic history.3 There were 43 new world records and 132 new Olympic records set at the 2008 Summer Olympics. An unprecedented 86 countries won at least one medal during the Games. Chinese athletes won the most gold medals, with 51, and 100 medals altogether, while the United States had the most medals total with 110. Michael Phelps broke the records for most gold medals in one Olympics and for most career gold medals for an Olympian by winning eight swimming events. Usain Bolt secured the traditional title of "World's Fastest Man" by setting new world records in the 100 m and 200 m sprints. Some politicians and non-governmental organizations criticized the choice of China as Olympic host because of the country's human rights record .45 Contents 1 Organization 1.1 Bid 1.2 Costs 1.3 Venues 1.4 Transport 1.5 Marketing 1.6 Media coverage 2 Torch relay 3 Calendar 4 Games 4.1 Opening ceremony 4.2 Sports 4.3 Closing ceremony 4.4 Medal table 5 Participation 5.1 National participation changes 5.2 Participation of athletes with disabilities 6 Concerns and controversies 7 Legacy 8 See also 9 Notes and references 10 External links // Organization Bid 2008 Summer Olympics bidding results City NOC Round 1 Round 2 Beijing China 44 56 Toronto Canada 20 22 Paris France 15 18 Istanbul Turkey 17 9 Osaka Japan 6 — Main article: Bids for the 2008 Summer Olympics Beijing was elected as the host city on July 13, 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, defeating Toronto, Paris, Istanbul, and Osaka. Prior to the session, five other cities (Bangkok, Cairo, Havana, Kuala Lumpur, and Seville) submitted bids to the IOC but failed to make the short list chosen by the IOC Executive Committee in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by an absolute majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.6 Members of the IOC did not disclose their votes, but news reports speculated that broad international support led to China's selection, especially from developing nations who had received assistance from China in the construction of stadiums. The size of China, its increased enforcement of doping controls, and sympathy concerning its loss of the 2000 Summer Olympics to Sydney were all factors in the decision.7 Eight years earlier, Beijing led every round of voting for the 2000 Summer Olympics until they lost in the final round to Sydney by two votes.8 Human rights concerns expressed by Amnesty International and politicians in both Europe and the United States were considered by the delegates, according to IOC Executive Director François Carrard. Carrard and others suggested that the selection might lead to improvements in human rights in China. In addition, a number of IOC delegates who had formerly been athletes expressed concern about heat and air quality during the Games. China outlined plans to address these environmental concerns in its bid application.7 Costs On March 6, 2009 the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games reported that total spending on the games was "generally as much as that of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games", which was about $15 billion, and that surplus revenues from the Olympic Games would exceed the original target of $16 million.9 Other sources, however, estimated that approximately $40 billion had been spent on the Games, which would make it the most expensive Olympic Games by a wide margin.1011 Venues Main articles: 2008 Summer Olympics venues, Olympic Green, and Beijing National Stadium By May 2007, construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun.12 The Chinese government also invested in the renovation and construction of six venues outside Beijing as well as 59 training centres. The largest architectural pieces to be built for the games were the Beijing National Stadium, Beijing National Indoor Stadium, Beijing National Aquatics Center, Olympic Green Convention Center, Olympic Green, and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center. Almost 85% of the construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $2.1 billion (RMB¥17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the 2008 Summer Olympics.13 Some events were held outside Beijing, namely football in Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Tianjin; sailing in Qingdao; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone", the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong.14 The Beijing National Stadium, dubbed "The Bird's Nest" The centrepiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies as well as the athletics competition.15 Construction of the venue began on December 24, 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was then made to construct a new stadium in Beijing.16 In 2001, the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Several criteria were required of each design, including the ability for post-Olympics use, a retractable roof, and low maintenance costs.17 The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs.18 The bird's nest model submitted by architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in collaboration with Li Xinggang of China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG) was selected as the top design by both a professional panel and by a broader audience during a public exhibition. The selection of the design became official in April 2003.17 Construction of the stadium was a joint venture among the original designers, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist Ai Weiwei, and a group of CADG architects led by Li Xinggang. Its $423 million cost was funded by the state-owned corporate conglomerate CITIC and the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Company.1719 Transport A map of the Olympic venues in Beijing. Several expressways encircle the center of the city, providing for quick transportation around the city and between venues. To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure was expanded significantly. Beijing's airport underwent a major renovation with the addition of the new Terminal 3, the world's largest airport terminal, designed by renowned architect Norman Foster.20 Within the city itself, Beijing's subway doubled its capacity and overall size, adding an additional 7 lines and 80 stations to the previously existing 4 lines and 64 stations. Included in this expansion was a new link connecting directly to the city's airport. Also, a fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses and official cars transported spectators, athletes and officials between venues.2122 In an effort to improve air quality, the city placed restrictions on construction sites, gas stations, and on the use of commercial and passenger vehicles in Beijing.23 From June 20 through September 20, passenger vehicle restrictions were placed on alternate days depending on the terminal digit of the car's license plate. It was anticipated that this measure would take 45% of Beijing's 3.3 million cars off the streets. The boosted public transport network was expected to absorb the demand created by these restrictions and the influx of visitors, which was estimated at more than 4 million extra passengers per day.24 Marketing Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics marketing The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem is known as Dancing Beijing (simplified Chinese: 舞动的北京; traditional Chinese: 舞動的北京; pinyin: Wǔdòng de Beíjīng). The emblem combines a traditional Chinese red seal and a representation of the calligraphic character jīng (京, "national capital", also the second character of Beijing's Chinese name) with athletic features. The open arms of the calligraphic word symbolises the invitation from China to the world to share in its culture. IOC president Jacques Rogge was very happy with the emblem, saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people."25 The slogan for the 2008 Olympics is "One World, One Dream" (simplified Chinese: 同一个世界 同一个梦想; traditional Chinese: 同一個世界 同一個夢想; pinyin: Tóng Yíge Shìjiè Tóng Yíge Mèngxiǎng.)26 The slogan calls upon the whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity. It was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world.27 The mascots of Beijing 2008 were the five Fuwa,28 each representing both a colour of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture. In 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee released pictograms of 35 Olympic disciplines (for some multi-discipline sports, such as cycling, a single pictogram was released).2930 This set of sport icons was named the beauty of seal characters, because of each pictogram's likeness to Chinese seal script. Media coverage Further information: List of 2008 Summer Olympics broadcasters The 2008 Games were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in high definition (HD) by the host broadcaster.31 In comparison, American broadcaster NBC broadcasted only half of the Turin Winter Games in HD.3233 In their bid for the Olympic Games in 2001, Beijing stated to the Olympic Evaluation Commission "that there will be no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including the Olympic Games",34 although some media outlets claimed that organizers ultimately failed to live up to this commitment.[c] According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.7 billion viewers worldwide tuned in to some of the television coverage, one-fifth larger than the 3.9 billion who watched the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.35 American broadcaster NBC produced only 2 hours of online streaming video for the 2006 Winter Games but produced approximately 2,200 hours of coverage for the 2008 Summer Games. For the first time "live online video rights in some markets for the Olympics have been separately negotiated, not part of the overall 'broadcast rights,'"; this new media of the digital economy was growing "nine times faster than the rest of the advertising market".36 Globally, the 2008 Olympics was subject to extensive copyright restriction, which amounted to territorial restrictions whilst still being covered extensively online within various exclusive copyright autarkies. Thus despite the international nature of the event and the global reach of the internet, the coverage world wide of assorted nation-states and television networks was not readily accessible. There was no global or supranational media coverage. The international European Broadcasting Union (EBU), for example, provided live coverage and highlights of all arenas only for certain territories on their website, Eurovisionsports.tv.37 Many national broadcasters likewise restrict online events to their domestic audiences.38 The General National Copyright Administration of China announced that "individual (sic) and websites will face fines as high as 100,000 yuan for uploading recordings of Olympic Games video to the internet,"39 part of an extensive campaign to protect the pertinent intellectual property rights.4041 The Olympic Committee also set up a separate YouTube channel at Beijing 2008. Torch relay 2008 Olympic Torch Main articles: 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay and 2008 Summer Olympics torch relay route The design of the Olympic Torch was based on traditional scrolls and used a traditional Chinese design known as the "Propitious Clouds" (祥云). The torch was designed to remain lit in 65 km/h (40 mph) winds, temperatures as low as minus 40°C and in rain of up to 50 mm (2 in) per hour. The relay, with the theme "Journey of Harmony", lasted 130 days and carried the torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi)—the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition began at the 1936 Berlin Games.4243 The torch relay was called a "public relations disaster" for China by USA Today,44 with protests of China's human rights record, particularly focused on Tibet. The IOC subsequently barred future Olympics organizers from staging international torch relays.45 Route of the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay The relay began March 24, 2008, in Olympia, Greece. From there, it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on March 31. From Beijing, the torch followed a route passing through every continent except Antarctica. The torch visited cities on the Silk Road, symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. A total of 21,880 torchbearers were selected from around the world by various organizations and entities.46 The international portion of the relay was problematic. The month-long world tour encountered wide-scale protests. After trouble in London where protesters made several attempts to put out the flame, the torch was extinguished in Paris the following day.47 The American leg in San Francisco on April 9 was altered without prior warning to avoid such scenes, although there were still demonstrations along the original route.48 The relay was further delayed and simplified after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake hit western China.49 The flame was carried to the top of Mount Everest46 on a 108 km (67 mi) long "highway" scaling the Tibetan side of the mountain especially built for the relay. The $19.7 million blacktop project spanned from Tingri County of Xigazê Prefecture to the Everest Base Camp.50 In 2008 March, China banned mountaineers from climbing its side of Mount Everest and later persuaded the Nepalese government to close their side as well, officially citing environmental concerns.51 It also reflected concerns by the Chinese government that Tibet activists may try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak.52 The originally proposed route would have taken the torch through Taipei after leaving Vietnam and before heading for Hong Kong. The government of Taiwan (then led by the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party), however, objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make the portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route.53 This dispute, as well as demands that the flag of the Republic of China and the National Anthem of the Republic of China be banned along the route led the government of Taiwan to reject the proposal that it be part of the relay route, and the two sides of the Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics into the event.54 Calendar In the following calendar for the 2008 Olympic Games, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. Each bullet in these boxes is an event final, the number of bullets per box representing the number of finals that were contested on that day. On the left the calendar lists each sport with events held during the Games, and at the right how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader.55  ●  Opening ceremony     Event competitions  ●  Event finals     Exhibition gala  ●  Closing ceremony August 2008 6th Wed 7th Thu 8th Fri 9th Sat 10th Sun 11th Mon 12th Tue 13th Wed 14th Thu 15th Fri 16th Sat 17th Sun 18th Mon 19th Tue 20th Wed 21st Thu 22nd Fri 23rd Sat 24th Sun Gold medals Archery   ● ●     ● ● 4 Athletics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 47 Badminton             ● ● ● ● ● 5 Baseball                 ● 1 Basketball                             ● ● 2 Boxing                           ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 11 Canoeing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 16 Cycling ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● ● ● 18 Diving ● ● ● ●     ●   ●   ●   ● 8 Equestrian ● ● ● ● ● ● 6 Fencing ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 10 Field hockey                         ● ● 2 Football                     ●   ● 2 Gymnastics ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 18 Handball                             ● ● 2 Judo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 14 Modern pentathlon ● ● 2 Rowing             ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 14 Sailing               ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 11 Shooting ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15 Softball                 ● 1 Swimming   ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 34 Synchronized swimming ● ● 2 Table tennis         ● ●       ● ● 4 Taekwondo ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 8 Tennis             ● ● ● ● 4 Triathlon ● ● 2 Volleyball                         ● ● ● ● 4 Water polo                       ●   ● 2 Weightlifting ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 15 Wrestling ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● 18 Total gold medals 7 14 13 19 17 15 18 27 37 18 20 11 21 21 32 12 302 Cumulative Total 7 21 34 53 70 85 103 130 167 185 205 216 237 258 290 302 Ceremonies ● ● August 2008 6th Wed 7th Thu 8th Fri 9th Sat 10th Sun 11th Mon 12th Tue 13th Wed 14th Thu 15th Fri 16th Sat 17th Sun 18th Mon 19th Tue 20th Wed 21st Thu 22nd Fri 23rd Sat 24th Sun Gold medals Games Further information: 2008 Summer Olympics highlights and List of 2008 Summer Olympics medal winners Opening ceremony Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony The opening ceremony officially began at 8:00 pm on August 8, 2008 in the Beijing National Stadium.5657 The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture, and here it was a triple eight for the date and one extra for time (close to 08:08:08 pm).58 The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang59 and featured a cast of over 15,000 performers.60 The ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over US$100 million to produce.61 A rich assembly of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated the ceremony. It opened with the beating of Fou drums for the countdown. Subsequently, a giant scroll was unveiled and became the show's centerpiece. The official song of the 2008 Olympics, titled "You and Me", was performed by Britain's Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan, on a large spinning rendition of the globe.62 The last recipient in the Olympic Torch relay, former Chinese gymnast Li Ning ignited the cauldron, after being suspended into the air by wires and completing a lap of the National Stadium at Stadium roof height in the air.63 The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as spectacular and spellbinding.64 Hein Verbruggen, chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad, called the ceremony "a grand, unprecedented success."65 Sports Inside Beijing National Stadium during the Games. Olympic torch in background. The program for the Beijing Games was quite similar to that of the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. There were 28 sports and 302 events at the 2008 Games. Nine new events were held, including two from the new cycling discipline of BMX. Women competed in the 3000 metre steeplechase for the first time. Open water swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles), were added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis replaced the doubles events.66 In fencing, women's team foil and women's team sabre replaced men's team foil and women's team épée.[d] Two sports were open only to men, baseball and boxing, while one sport and one discipline were open only to women, softball and synchronized swimming. Equestrian and Mixed Badminton are the only sport in which men and women compete together.6768 The following were the 28 sports that were contested at the Games. The number of events contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses (in sports with more than one discipline, as identified by the IOC,69 these are also specified). Aquatics (46) Diving Swimming Synchronized swimming Water polo Archery Athletics Badminton Baseball Basketball Boxing Canoeing Slalom (4) Sprint (12) Cycling BMX (2) Road (4) Track (10) Mountain Bike (2) Equestrian Dressage (2) Eventing (2) Jumping (2) Fencing Field hockey Football Gymnastics Artistic (14) Rhythmic (2) Trampoline (2) Handball Judo Modern pentathlon Rowing Sailing Shooting Softball Table tennis Taekwondo Tennis Triathlon Volleyball Beach Volleyball (2) Volleyball (2) Weightlifting Wrestling Freestyle (11) Greco-Roman (7) In addition to the official Olympic sports, the Beijing Organising Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a wushu competition in parallel to the Games. The Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate, with medals awarded in 15 separate events; however, these were not to be added to the official medal tally since Wushu was not on the programme of the 2008 Olympic Games.70 Closing ceremony Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded the Beijing Games on August 24, 2008. It began at 8:00pm China Standard Time (UTC+8), and took place at the Beijing National Stadium. The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London. Guo Jinlong, the Mayor of Beijing handed over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson, followed by a performance organized by the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (LOCOG). This presentation included performances by guitarist Jimmy Page, and recording artist Leona Lewis. Footballer David Beckham was also featured during London's presentation.71 Medal table The reverse side of the medals of the 2008 Summer Olympics: silver (left), gold (center), bronze (right). Each medal has a ring of jade. Main article: 2008 Summer Olympics medal table Athletes from 86 countries won medals, 54 of which won gold medals, both setting new records for Olympic Games.7273 118 participating countries did not win a medal. Athletes from China won 51 gold medals, the most of any nation at these Olympics, becoming the first nation other than the United States and Russia to do so since the 1936 Summer Olympics.72 Athletes from the United States won the most total medals, with 110.73 Afghanistan,74 Mauritius,75 Sudan,76 Tajikistan,77 and Togo78 won their first Olympic medals. Athletes from Mongolia (which previously held the record for most medals without a gold),79 and Panama80 won their nation's first gold medals. An athlete from Serbia won its first medal under that name, having previously won medals as part of Yugoslavia and Serbia and Montenegro.81 The top ten ranked NOCs at these Games are listed below. The host nation, China, is highlighted.73 Rank Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total 1  China (CHN) 51 21 28 100 2  United States (USA) 36 38 36 110 3  Russia (RUS) 23 21 28 72 4  Great Britain (GBR) 19 13 15 47 5  Germany (GER) 16 10 15 41 6  Australia (AUS) 14 15 17 46 7  South Korea (KOR) 13 10 8 31 8  Japan (JPN) 9 6 10 25 9  Italy (ITA) 8 9 10 27 10  France (FRA) 7 16 18 41 Participation Participating nations Team sizes All but one of the 205 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that existed as of 2008 participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the exception being Brunei.82 Three countries participated in the Olympic Games for their first time: the Marshall Islands, Montenegro and Tuvalu.83 The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and 2008 was the first games in which they were eligible to participate.8485 The states of Serbia and Montenegro, which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as Serbia and Montenegro, competed separately for the first time. The Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007.85 Neighboring Kosovo, however, did not participate. After the declaration of independence in Kosovo, the IOC specified requirements that Kosovo needs to meet before being recognised by the IOC; most notably, it has to be recognised as independent by the United Nations.86 China and the United States had the largest teams, with 639 for China and 596 for the United States.8788 More than 100 sovereigns, heads of state and heads of government as well as 170 Ministers of Sport attended the Beijing Olympic Games.89 List of Participating NOCs Below is a list of all the participating NOCs (the number of competitors per delegation is indicated in brackets) Afghanistan (4) Albania (11) Algeria (62) American Samoa (5) Andorra (5) Angola (32) Antigua and Barbuda (5) Argentina (137) Armenia (25) Aruba (2) Australia (433) Austria (72) Azerbaijan (39) Bahamas (19) Bahrain (15) Bangladesh (5) Barbados (6) Belarus (181) Belgium (96) Belize (3) Benin (5) Bermuda (6) Bhutan (2) Bolivia (6) Bosnia and Herzegovina (5) Botswana (12) Brazil (277) British Virgin Islands (2) Bulgaria (72) Burkina Faso (6) Burundi (3) Cambodia (4) Cameroon (33) Canada (332) Cape Verde (3) Cayman Islands (4) Central African Republic (3) Chad (2) Chile (27) China (639) (host) Chinese Taipei (80) Colombia (64) Comoros (3) DR Congo (5) Congo (3) Cook Islands (4) Costa Rica (8) Côte d'Ivoire (20) Croatia (105) Cuba (149) Cyprus (17) Czech Republic (134) Denmark (84) Djibouti (2) Dominica (2) Dominican Republic (25) Ecuador (25) Egypt (103) El Salvador (11) Equatorial Guinea (3) Eritrea (9) Estonia (47) Ethiopia (22) Fiji (6) Finland (58) France (323) FS Micronesia (15) Macedonia (7) Gabon (4) Gambia (3) Georgia (35) Germany (463) Ghana (9) Great Britain (312) Greece (159) Grenada (9) Guam (5) Guatemala (12) Guinea (5) Guinea-Bissau (3) Guyana (5) Haiti (10) Honduras (25) Hong Kong (34) Hungary (171) Iceland (28) India (57) Indonesia (24) Iran (55) Iraq (4) Ireland (54) Israel (43) Italy (344) Jamaica (56) Japan (351) Jordan (7) Kazakhstan (132) Kenya (56) Kiribati (2) North Korea (63) South Korea (267) Kuwait (6) Kyrgyzstan (21) Laos (4) Latvia (50) Lebanon (5) Lesotho (4) Liberia (3) Libya (7) Liechtenstein (2) Lithuania (71) Luxembourg (12) Madagascar (4) Malawi (4) Malaysia (33) Maldives (4) Mali (17) Malta (6) Marshall Islands (5) Mauritania (2) Mauritius (12) Mexico (85) Moldova (31) Monaco (5) Mongolia (29) Montenegro (31) Morocco (57) Mozambique (5) Myanmar (6) Namibia (9) Nauru (1) Nepal (8) Netherlands (245) Netherlands Antilles (3) New Zealand (182) Nicaragua (6) Niger (5) Nigeria (33) Norway (85) Oman (5) Pakistan (21) Palau (5) Palestine (4) Panama (3) Papua New Guinea (7) Paraguay (5) Peru (12) Philippines (15) Poland (268) Portugal (77) Puerto Rico (22) Qatar (22) Romania (102) Russia (467) Rwanda (4) Saint Kitts and Nevis (4) Saint Lucia (6) Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (2) São Tomé and Príncipe (3) Samoa (6) San Marino (4) Saudi Arabia (16) Senegal (12) Serbia (92) Seychelles (8) Sierra Leone (3) Singapore (25) Slovakia (57) Slovenia (62) Solomon Islands (3) Somalia (2) South Africa (136) Spain (286) Sri Lanka (8) Sudan (8) Suriname (4) Swaziland (4) Sweden (134) Switzerland (84) Syria (8) Tajikistan (13) Tanzania (10) Thailand (51) Timor-Leste (2) Togo (3) Tonga (3) Trinidad and Tobago (30) Tunisia (32) Turkey (68) Turkmenistan (10) Tuvalu (3) Uganda (15) Ukraine (254)90 United Arab Emirates (8) United States (596) Uruguay (12) Uzbekistan (58) Vanuatu (3) Venezuela (109) Vietnam (21) Virgin Islands (5) Yemen (5) Zambia (8) Zimbabwe (13) National participation changes TPE's flag. As in Olympics Games since 1984, athletes from the Republic of China (Taiwan) competed at the 2008 Games as Chinese Taipei (TPE)91 under the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag and using the National Banner Song as their official anthem. The participation of Taiwan was briefly in doubt because of disagreements over the name of their team in the Chinese language and concerns about Taiwan marching in the Opening Ceremony next to the special administrative region of Hong Kong. A compromise on the naming was reached, and Taiwan was referred to during the games as "Chinese Taipei," rather than "China's Taipei," as the mainland China government had proposed. In addition, the Central African Republic was placed between Chinese Taipei and the Special Administrative Regions during the march of nations.92 Starting in 2005, North Korea and South Korea held meetings to discuss the possibility of sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics.9394 The proposal failed, because of disagreements about how athletes would be chosen; North Korea was demanding a certain percentage representation for its athletes. A subsequent attempt to broker an agreement for the two nations to walk together during the March of Nations failed as well, despite their having done so during the 2000 and 2004 Games.95 On July 24, 2008, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Iraq from competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games because of "political interference by the government in sports."9697 On July 29, the IOC reversed its decision and allowed the nation to compete after a pledge by Iraq to ensure "the independence of its national Olympics panel" by instituting fair elections before the end of November. In the meantime, Iraq's Olympic Organisation was run by "an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC."98 Brunei Darussalam was due to take part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. However, they were disqualified on August 8, having failed to register either of their two athletes.99 The IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement that "it is a great shame and very sad for the athletes who lose out because of the decision by their team not to register them. The IOC tried up until the last minute, midday Friday August 8, 2008, the day of the official opening, to have them register, but to no avail."100 Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports issued a press release stating that their decision not to participate was due to an injury to one of their athletes.101 Georgia announced on August 9, 2008 that it was considering withdrawing from the Beijing Olympic Games because of the military conflict in South Ossetia, but it went on to compete while the conflict was still ongoing.102 Participation of athletes with disabilities South African swimmer Natalie du Toit, whose left leg was amputated following a motor scooter accident, qualified to compete at the Beijing Olympics. The five time gold medalist at the Athens Paralympics in 2004, made history by becoming the first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games since Olivér Halassy in 1936. She was able to compete in the Olympics rather than the Paralympics because she does not use a prosthetic leg while swimming.103 Polish athlete Natalia Partyka, who was born without a right forearm, competed in Table Tennis in both the 2008 Olympic Games and 2008 Paralympic Games.104 Concerns and controversies The banner reads: "Human Rights Abuse Cannot Co-exist with Beijing Olympics", picture taken during the opening of the Human Rights Torch Relay event Main article: Concerns and controversies over the 2008 Summer Olympics A variety of concerns over the Games, or China's hosting of the Games, had been expressed by various entities, including allegations that China violated its pledge to allow open media access,105 various alleged human rights violations,106107 its continuous support of repressive regimes (such as Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Sudan, and North Korea), air pollution in both the city of Beijing and in neighbouring areas,108 proposed boycotts,109110 warnings of the possibility that the Beijing Olympics could be targeted by terrorist groups,111 potentially violent disruption from pro-Tibetan protesters,112 and religious persecutions.113 Bar owners in central Beijing had been forced "not to serve black people or Mongolians".114 There were also reports that several members of China's women's gymnastics team, including double gold medal winner He Kexin, were too young to compete under the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique's rules for Olympic eligibility, but all were exonerated after an official IOC investigation.115116117 In the lead-up to the Olympics, the government allegedly issued guidelines to the local media for their reporting during the Games: most political issues not directly related to the games were to be downplayed; topics such as pro-Tibetan independence and East Turkestan movements were not to be reported on, as were food safety issues such as "cancer-causing mineral water."118 As the 2008 Chinese milk scandal broke in September 2008, there was widespread speculation that China's desire for a perfect Games may have been a factor contributing towards the delayed recall of contaminated infant formula.119120 Legacy The 2008 Olympic Games have been generally accepted by the world's media as a logistical success, despite the heavy politicization of the games beforehand.121122 Contrary to fears before the game, no terrorists struck Beijing; no athlete protested at the podium, and due largely to favorable weather conditions, the air quality, although the worst in Olympics history, was not as bad as many had feared beforehand.123124 For the Chinese government, the Olympic events, as well as the medals won by Chinese athletes, were a great source of national pride. It was seen as a symbol of China's pride and place in the world, while protests against the relay that occurred overseas were presented in the state media as the attempt of foreigners to deny the Chinese people that place.125 The Olympics seem to have also bolstered some domestic support for the Chinese government, and support for the policies of the Communist Party of China, giving rise to concerns that the state will possibly have more leverage to disperse dissent, at least momentarily.126 It is also believed that the number of gold medals won at the Olympics helped the pro-Beijing party (DAB) win at Hong Kong legislative election, 2008, in which the DAB remained the largest party. In the days before the election, a number of Chinese gold medalists visited Hong Kong to rally support behind the DAB, although some analysts had expected larger gains as a result of this than actually occurred.127 The long-term economic impact of the games on China and Beijing in particular is not yet clear. Some sectors of the economy may have benefited from the influx of tourists, and other sectors such as manufacturing lost revenue because of plant closings related to the government's efforts to improve air quality. It is generally expected by economists that there will be no lasting effects on the city's economy from the games.128 See also Olympics portal 2008 Summer Paralympics Summer Olympic Games Olympic Games International Olympic Committee List of IOC country codes World records at the 2008 Summer Olympics Olympic records at the 2008 Summer Olympics Notes and references Notes a Although the games officially began on August 8, 2008, the first football games were held on August 6. b The other two instances were the 1956 games, where the equestrian events were hosted in Stockholm, Sweden, because of strict Australian quarantine rules, and the other events were hosted in Melbourne, Australia; and the 1920 games which were hosted in Antwerp, Belgium, but the final two races of the 12 ft (3.7 m) dinghy event in sailing were held in the Netherlands. c The New York Times, for instance, said that "these promises, were contradicted by strict visa rules, lengthy application processes and worries about censorship."129 d The fencing programme included six individual events and four team events, though the team events were a different set than were held in 2004. The International Fencing Federation's rules call for events not held in the previous Games to receive automatic selection and for at least one team event in each weapon to be held. Voting is conducted to determine the fourth event. In 2004, the three men's team events and the women's épée were held. Thus, in 2008, the women's foil and sabre events and men's épée were automatically selected. Men's sabre was chosen over foil by a 45–20 vote.130 References ^ International Olympic Committee (August 1, 2008). "NOC entry forms received". Press release. http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214496035.shtml. Retrieved 2008-08-9-08.  ^ Longman, Jere (July 14, 2001). "OLYMPICS; Beijing Wins Bid for 2008 Olympic Games". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/14/sports/olympics-beijing-wins-bid-for-2008-olympic-games.html.  ^ Fixmer, Andy (September 5, 2008). "Beijing Olympics Attracted Most Viewers, Nielsen Says". 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International Olympic Committee. http://www.olympic.org/en/content/Olympic-Games/All-Past-Olympic-Games/Summer/Beijing-2008.  Collection of Nonprofit Research Related to the Olympics Published on IssueLab Preceded by Athens Summer Olympic Games Beijing XXIX Olympiad (2008) Succeeded by London v · d · eOlympic Games Sports · Medal tables · IOC · NOCs · Medalists · Symbols Summer Games 1896 · 1900 · 1904 · (1906)1 · 1908 · 1912 · 19162 · 1920 · 1924 · 1928 · 1932 · 1936 · 19403 · 19443 · 1948 · 1952 · 1956 · 1960 · 1964 · 1968 · 1972 · 1976 · 1980 · 1984 · 1988 · 1992 · 1996 · 2000 · 2004 · 2008 · 2012 · 2016 · 2020 · 2024 · 2028 Winter Games 1924 · 1928 · 1932 · 1936 · 19403 · 19443 · 1948 · 1952 · 1956 · 1960 · 1964 · 1968 · 1972 · 1976 · 1980 · 1984 · 1988 · 1992 · 1994 · 1998 · 2002 · 2006 · 2010 · 2014 · 2018 · 2022 1 Discounted ex post facto by the IOC; 2 Cancelled due to World War I.3 Cancelled due to World War II. v · d · eNations at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, People's Republic of China Africa Algeria • Angola • Benin • Botswana • Burkina Faso • Burundi • Cameroon • Cape Verde • Central African Republic • Chad • Comoros • Congo • DR Congo • Côte d'Ivoire • Djibouti • Egypt • Equatorial Guinea • Eritrea • Ethiopia • Gabon • Gambia • Ghana • Guinea • Guinea‑Bissau • Kenya • Lesotho • Liberia • Libya • Madagascar • Malawi • Mali • Mauritania • Mauritius • Morocco • Mozambique • Namibia • Niger • Nigeria • Rwanda • São Tomé‑Príncipe • Senegal • Seychelles • Sierra Leone • Somalia • South Africa • Sudan • Swaziland • Tanzania • Togo • Tunisia • Uganda • Zambia • Zimbabwe America Antigua‑Barbuda • Argentina • Aruba • Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Bermuda • Bolivia • Brazil • British Virgin Islands • Canada • Cayman Islands • Chile • Colombia • Costa Rica • Cuba • Dominica • Dominican Republic • Ecuador • El Salvador • Grenada • Guatemala • Guyana • Haiti • Honduras • Jamaica • Mexico • Netherlands Antilles • Nicaragua • Panama • Paraguay • Peru • Puerto Rico • Saint Kitts‑Nevis • Saint Lucia • Saint Vincent‑Grenadines • Suriname • Trinidad‑Tobago • United States • Uruguay • Venezuela • Virgin Islands Asia Afghanistan • Bahrain • Bangladesh • Bhutan • Cambodia • China • Hong Kong • India • Indonesia • Iran • Iraq • Japan • Jordan • Kazakhstan • North Korea • South Korea • Kuwait • Kyrgyzstan • Laos • Lebanon • Malaysia • Maldives • Mongolia • Myanmar • Nepal • Oman • Pakistan • Palestine • Philippines • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Singapore • Sri Lanka • Syria • Chinese Taipei • Tajikistan • Thailand • Timor‑Leste • Turkmenistan • United Arab Emirates • Uzbekistan • Vietnam • Yemen Europe Albania • Andorra • Armenia • Austria • Azerbaijan • Belarus • Belgium • Bosnia‑Herzegovina • Bulgaria • Croatia • Cyprus • Czech Republic • Denmark • Estonia • Finland • France • Georgia • Germany • Great Britain • Greece • Hungary • Iceland • Ireland • Israel  • Italy • Latvia • Liechtenstein • Lithuania • Luxembourg • Macedonia • Malta • Moldova • Monaco • Montenegro • Netherlands • Norway • Poland • Portugal • Romania • Russia • San Marino • Serbia • Slovakia • Slovenia • Spain • Sweden • Switzerland • Turkey • Ukraine Oceania American Samoa • Australia • Cook Islands • Fiji • Guam • Kiribati • Marshall Islands • Micronesia • Nauru • New Zealand • Palau • Papua New Guinea • Samoa • Solomon Islands • Tonga • Tuvalu • Vanuatu v · d · eEvents at the 2008 Summer Olympics (Beijing) Archery • Athletics • Badminton • Baseball • Basketball • Boxing • Canoeing • Cycling • Diving • Equestrian • Fencing • Field hockey  • Football • Gymnastics • Handball • Judo • Modern pentathlon • Rowing • Sailing • Shooting • Softball • Swimming • Synchronized swimming • Table tennis • Taekwondo • Tennis • Triathlon • Volleyball • Water polo • Weightlifting • Wrestling v · d · eVenues of the 2008 Summer Olympics New venues Beijing National Stadium · Beijing National Aquatics Center · Beijing National Indoor Stadium · Beijing Shooting Range Hall · Wukesong Indoor Stadium · Laoshan Velodrome · Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park · China Agricultural University Gymnasium · Peking University Gymnasium · Beijing Science and Technology University Gymnasium · Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium · Olympic Green Tennis Center Existing venues Olympic Sports Centre · Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium · Workers Stadium · Workers Indoor Arena · Capital Indoor Stadium · Fengtai Softball Field · Ying Tung Natatorium · Laoshan Mountain Bike Course · Beijing Shooting Range Clay Target Field · Beijing Institute of Technology Gymnasium · Beihang University Gymnasium Temporary venues Olympic Green Convention Center · Olympic Green Hockey Field · Olympic Green Archery Field · Wukesong Baseball Field · Chaoyang Park Beach Volleyball Ground · BMX Field · Triathlon Venue · Urban Road Cycling Course Venues outside Beijing Qingdao International Sailing Centre · Shanghai Stadium · Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium · Hong Kong Equestrian Venues · Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium · Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium