Recreation

Beijing Olympic Games 2008

New Zealand sent 182 athletes to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, surpassing the 150 team members who competed in thr 2000 Sydney Olympics.

The Beijing Olympic Games 2008 were held between 8 and 24 August 2008.

According to the official website, more than 10,700 athletes from around the world competed in 28 events for 302 gold medals.

70,000 volunteers, 5,600 written press and photographers and 16000 broadcast media will help bring the event to the rest of the world. In New Zealand TVNZ have hosting rights, and will be broadcasting the Games free to air.

There are 37 Olympic venues, 31 in Beijing and 6 outside of Beijing.

The official web site has sections for Olympic education, Olympic culture and Olympic spirit.

Learn more about controversies at the Beijing Olympics.

Medals and emblems

Seventy millimetres wide and 6mm thick, the 2008 Olympic medals were made of gold, silver and bronze, and jade. Read the official description to view the medals.

Paralympics

Beijing was also the venue for the 2008 Paralympics. The opening ceremony is on September 6, (Saturday) with the closing ceremony September 17 (Wednesday). 4,000 athletes competed in 20 sports and 21 disciplines at 18 venues, with the assistance of 30,000 volunteers.

100 years of New Zealand involvement

2008 marked 100 years of New Zealand participation in the Olympic Games. In 1908 (London) and 1912 (Stockholm) New Zealand teams competed with Australian teams under an Australasian banner. In 1912 Malcolm Champion became New Zealand's first gold medallist as part of the Australasian swimming team which set a world record in the 4 x 200-metre freestyle relay. Christchurch's Anthony Wilding won a bronze medal at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm.

See our page about other Canterbury Olympians.

Beijing Olympic Websites

Beijing 2008
Games of the XXIX Olympiad - with online schedule
China
Websites from our Internet Gateway

Beijing Olympics News

Behind the Beijing Controversies

No Olympic Games is without controversy and Beijing 2008 has its share. In the lead up to the games there has been concern about human rights in China – highlighted during recent troubles in Tibet and with international protest during the Olympic torch relay. There has also been concern about the rights of ordinary Chinese citizens whose homes have been demolished to make way for new buildings including those associated with the Games. In Beijing this has focused on the increasing disappearance of traditional buildings and neighbourhoods called hutongs.

Journalists are focusing on the issue of Chinese government censorship of the internet with claims that contentious websites are being blocked – for example Amnesty International, Falun Gong and Human Rights Watch. The media is also focusing on pollution issues including the air quality in Beijing and the toxic algal bloom at the Olympic Yachting venue.

A perennial concern at the Olympics is the issue of athletes using illegal performance enhancement like drugs and blood doping.

Terrorism Threats to the Olympic Games

Olympic Games will be safe, says China
BBC report on the latest issues with security from terrorism at the Olympic Games.

Chinese Government Censorship

Which websites has China blocked?
Article from the BBC on July 30.
Internet censorship in the People's Republic of China
Wikipedia article on censorship.

Human Rights in China

Human Rights in China
International, Chinese, non-governmental organisation with a mission to promote international human rights and advance the institutional protection of these rights in the People’s Republic of China.
United Nations Development Programme - China
UN work in China and reports on China.
Human Rights for China
Amnesty International campaign for greater human rights in China.
Human Rights in China
1991 document from Information Office of the State Councilof the People's Republic of China.
Human Rights Watch – China and Tibet
Information from international human rights organisation Human Rights Watch.

China and Darfur Human Rights

China and Darfur
BBC report on China’s relationship with Sudan.
China and Darfur
BBC report on China’s moves to resolve the humanitarian conflict in Darfur in the lead up to the Olympic Games.
Changing the Rules of the Games
New York Times story about the American based campaign to target corporate games sponsors and the Chinese government in the lead up to the Olympic Games to effect changes over the crisis in Darfur.
China’s Darfur Policy in tune with law, morality
Article in the Chinese newspaper, China Daily, about Chinese policy in Sudan.

Pollution in China

In Pictures: Beijing Pollution Watch
Daily picture series from the BBC showing the air quality in Beijing.
Beijing Pollution: facts and figures
Information from the BBC including showing measurements they are taking daily.
Massive algae growth puts cloud over Olympic sailing venue
Article in the New Zealand Herald.

Drug Testing at the Olympics

International Association of Athletics Federation Anti Doping
Information and news from the IAAF.
World Anti-Doping Agency at the Olympic Games
World agency WADA at the Olympic Games.

Changing Face of Beijing

New York Times articles about the hutongs (traditional neighbourhoods) of Beijing