Continue reading Memories of the 2008 Beijing Olympics – and what happened next
Continue reading Breaking down China’s latest doping revelations
The Chinese are watching the World Cup in their droves, with some staying up so late that three people have now reportedly died from World Cup-related sleep deprivation. 118 million posts about the World Cup were written between June 12-17, but FIFA, in all its infinite wisdom, has no official online presence in China. Here’s more:
现如今，人们已经很难听见对国际足联的褒奖——从可疑的选票和糟糕的规则制定，到现在如履薄冰的反腐改革。更可悲的是，这些看似不可思议的骂声会因国际足联主席布拉特的当权而永无止境。
Here are a few things we’ve been reading on China’s Olympic progress:
The BBC’s Martin Patience makes the good point that Zhangjiakou doesn’t have a hill large enough to host the downhill were China to win the 2022 Olympics. Fake snow? Check. Clear the skies? No problem. Bigger hill? Hmmm….
Continue reading Olympic links: Problems for 2022, record TV numbers & 1 very fed up athlete
Whoops.
The announcement of the next host city for an Olympic Games is not something that creeps up on you by surprise. Precisely seven years before each Olympics, there is a very carefully choreographed announcement, during which the IOC President reveals the winning city. It’s very hard to confuse which city has won. The IOC broadcasts this live. If you don’t hear the announcement, then the President holds up the name of the city, and the director cuts to shots of the winning delegation and host city for immediate reaction and celebration.
So how on earth did China’s official news agency Xinhua put out a statement that Istanbul, not Tokyo, would host the 2020 Olympics? Continue reading Chinese news agency: Istanbul will host 2020 Olympics!
