Olympic

What do the Olympic rings signify? According to most accounts, the rings were adopted by Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the modern Olympic Movement) in 1913 after he saw a similar design on an artifact from ancient Greece. The five rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Every national flag in the world includes at least one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red. It is important to emphasize that Pierre de Coubertin never said nor wrote that the colors of the rings were linked with the different continents The Olympic Flag made its debut at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. At the end of each Olympic Games, the mayor of that host-city presents the flag to the mayor of the next host-city. It then rests at the town hall of the next host-city for four years until the Opening Ceremony of their Olympic Games. Like the Five Olympic Rings from which they draw their color and inspiration, Fuwa will serve as the Official Mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, carrying a message of friendship and peace -- and good wishes from China -- to children all over the world. Designed to express the playful qualities of five little children who form an intimate circle of friends, Fuwa also embody the natural characteristics of four of China's most popular animals -- the Fish, the Panda, the Tibetan Antelope, the Swallow -- and the Olympic Flame. Each of Fuwa has a rhyming two-syllable name -- a traditional way of expressing affection for children in China. Beibei is the Fish, Jingjing is the Panda, Huanhuan is the Olympic Flame, Yingying is the Tibetan Antelope and Nini is the Swallow. When you put their names together -- Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni -- they say "Welcome to Beijing," offering a warm invitation that reflects the mission of Fuwa as young ambassadors for the Olympic Games. Fuwa also embody both the landscape and the dreams and aspirations of people from every part of the vast country of China. In their origins and their headpieces, you can see the five elements of nature -- the sea, forest, fire, earth and sky -- all stylistically rendered in ways that represent the deep traditional influences of Chinese folk art and ornamentation. The medley world record holder seems to be heading towards the same track that caused havoc for Australian runner Tamsyn Lewis prior to the Athens Games. Lewis was caught up in a war of words with Jana Rawlinson, when the hurdler labelled Lewis a ''bikini babe''. According to experts, Rice's steamy shoot so close to the Beijing Games is a risk that will place increased pressure on her to perform while former triathlon champion Nici Andronicus believes it will also make her a target.

"It's not a distraction (to Rice) but it's a distraction to the other competitors because it puts a giant cross on your shoulders, and they will do everything they can to bring you down,'' the Daily Telegraph quoted Andronicus, who was a regular swimsuit cover girl during her career, as saying. Brand managers and strategists say that the raunchy images will only cause harm to the 19-year-old's wholesome image with media buyer Harold Mitchell adding that the photos should be a one-off on Rice's part. Media strategist Barry O'Brien believes Rice's family could find themselves under pressure as a result of the raunchy shoot, yet dismissed concerns it would ruin her career. "It can backfire, but I don't think it's going to neck her career. She's a great talent and, if she wins a gold medal, they'll be lining up 10 deep,'' he said. BEIJING 2008 Games of the XXIX Olympiad From the 8th August to 24th August 2008 One World, One DreamThe Beijing Games will show the world what the Olympic Games really are: a gathering of young people who share the same goal and the same enthusiasm for sport. As well as inviting the finest athletes in the world to compete against each other, the Games will also provide a stage for China to present itself to the world during 16 days and 17 nights of sporting celebration. Muscles taut and face locked in concentration, this is Rebecca Romero, who will be representing Britain in the Olympic games later this month. With a carefully placed arm and thigh to protect her modesty, she appears to be in perfect physical condition ahead of what will be a gruelling race in Beijing. The 28-year-old, who won a sliver medal in rowing at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, only took up cycling seriously in March 2006 after doctors recommended the sport to combat muscle fatigue she was experiencing. After reinventing herself as one of the world's top cyclists she will now seek to make history in China as the first British woman to win Olympic medals in two separate summer sports. Romero's previous experience of cycling consisted of working in a bike shop as a teenager. The athlete, who modestly describes herself as 'generally a lazy person', is now favourite to win the gold medal in the 3000m individual pursuit race in which she is already world champion. Discover the Olympic Museum with its wealth of memories which will keep your passion for Olympism burning. Young and old, individually, as a family or in a group, come and witness the many different exhibition zones, all packed with history and emotion.

'I am a really sore loser and I probably will be gutted if I get anything less than the gold medal in Beijing,' she said. Romero also suggested she might be tempted to take up a third sport after the Games. She said: 'I might think about raising the bar a bit more. It might have to be a winter sport as I might not be able to wait for another Olympic cycle.' Only one other Briton has achieved the feat of winning medals in two sports. Welshman Paul Radmilovic won medals in swimming and water polo in the 1920s, two sports which are arguably more closely related than cycling and rowing. In the modern Olympic era, the only athlete to have achieved it is American Tim Shaw, who won a swimming silver medal in Montreal in 1976 and a water polo silver in Los Angeles eight years later. Triple jumper Phillips Idowu and swimmer Gregor Tait also posed naked for awardwinning photographer Nadav Kander.

The images will be used as part of an advertising campaign for Powerade, the official sports drink of the Beijing Games. Idowu, 29, who has been hailed as one of Britain's best hopes of a track and field gold medal, said: 'This is definitely one of the more unusual shoots I've taken part in, but also one of the most enjoyable. 'Nadav made us all feel really comfortable, and we had a lot of fun. The Inner Gear for an athlete - how we train, what we eat, drink and when we sleep - is as important as what we wear, and it's great that a campaign like this brings it to life.' Cathryn Sleight, marketing director for Coca-Cola Great Britain which produces Powerade, added: 'Everyone is used to seeing athletes in competition or winning, but we wanted to give people the chance to see the real make-up of an athlete and their muscle and power, celebrating the body and spirit and the hard work that goes into training for all athletes whatever your level.'

In China's traditional culture and art, the fish and water designs are symbols of prosperity and harvest. And so Beibei carries the blessing of prosperity. A fish is also a symbol of surplus in Chinese culture, another measure of a good year and a good life. The ornamental lines of the water-wave designs are taken from well-known Chinese paintings of the past. Among Fuwa, Beibei is known to be gentle and pure. Strong in water sports, she reflects the blue Olympic ring.

Spreading Traditional Chinese Good Wishes Wherever They Go

In the ancient culture of China, there is a grand tradition of spreading good wishes through signs and symbols. Each of Fuwa symbolizes a different blessing -- and will honor this tradition by carrying their good wishes to the children of the world. Prosperity, happiness, passion, health and good luck will be spread to every continent as Fuwa carry their invitation to Beijing 2008 to every part of the globe. At the heart of their mission -- and through all of their work -- Fuwa will seek to unite the world in peace and friendship through the Olympic spirit. Dedicated to helping Beijing 2008 spread its theme of One World, One Dream to every continent, Fuwa reflect the deep desire of the Chinese people to reach out to the world in friendship through the Games -- and to invite every man, woman and child to take part in the great celebration of human solidarity that China will host in the light of the flame in 2008.

Jingjing makes children smile -- and that's why he brings the blessing of happiness wherever he goes. You can see his joy in the charming naivety of his dancing pose and the lovely wave of his black and white fur. As a national treasure and a protected species, pandas are adored by people everywhere. The lotus designs in Jingjing's headdress, which are inspired by the porcelain paintings of the Song Dynasty (A.D.960-1234), symbolize the lush forest and the harmonious relationship between man and nature. Jingjing was chosen to represent our desire to protect nature's gifts -and to preserve the beauty of nature for all generations. Jingjing is charmingly naïve and optimistic. He is an athlete noted for strength who represents the black Olympic ring.

An athlete jogs at the Olympic Village in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 5, 2008. The Olympic Village, located in the Olympic Green in north Beijing and divided into three sections of the international area, residential area and operations area, houses about 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage from over 200 countries Athletes arrive at the residential area of Olympic Village in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 5, 2008. The Olympic Village, located in the Olympic Green in north Beijing and divided into three sections of the international area, residential area and operations area, houses about 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage from over 200 countries and regions coming for the Olympics

Photo taken on Aug. 5, 2008 shows a scenic spot at the residential area of Olympic Village in Beijing, capital of China. The Olympic Village, located in the Olympic Green in north Beijing and divided into three sections of the international area, residential area and operations area, houses about 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage from over 200 countries and regions coming for the Olympics.

Athletes have dinners in a restaurant at the residential area of Olympic Village in Beijing, capital of China, Aug. 5, 2008. The Olympic Village, located in the Olympic Green in north Beijing and divided into three sections of the international area, residential area and operations area, houses about 16,000 athletes, coaches and their entourage from over 200 countries and regions coming for the Olympics.

Olympic torch relay on Great Wall

Torchbearer carries the flame along a section of the Great Wallin Badaling, outside Beijing, a day before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

1) No world records will be set Hoping to see some world records broken at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games? Don’t hold your breath. Health and sporting experts predict that because of Beijing’s serious air-quality problem, outdoor events will be run at times well off the record pace because the smog will impact the athletes’ lung capacity. Just how bad is the Beijing smog? It’s two to three times higher than what the World Health Organization deems safe. The Chinese have taken several measures to combat their air pollution, including relocating 200 factories, taking 60,000 buses and taxis off the road and expanding the subway system, and ordering 340 factories around the Games’ sites to close during the Olympics. Still, their actions may be a case of too little, too late.

2) Baseball is gone, but handball continues The 2008 Summer Olympic Games may not be the last Olympics to feature baseball, but they’ll be the last for a while. The 2012 Games will not include America’s sport (but the 2016 or 2020 Games might), much to the chagrin of former Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. His Cuba squad has won three of four gold medals in baseball since it became an official Olympic sport in 1992, and the former pitcher has condemned the “rich and powerful masters” of the Olympics for getting rid of a sport at which Cuba has excelled. When you’re not watching baseball this summer, however, check out the competition in handball. Similar to soccer, the players in this medal sport since the 1970s use their hands rather than their feet. This summer’s Olympic Games will include 10 handball teams, including the unlikely qualifier Iceland.

3) The torch has already been extinguished several times The Olympic Torch may be able to withstand 65 km/h winds and rain up to a rate of 50 millimeters per hour, but it’s already been snuffed out a handful of times on its 129-day, 137,000-kilometer relay that began in March. Because the relay has faced protesters demonstrating against China’s less-than-stellar human rights record (and pro-Chinese groups demonstrating against the demonstrators) on nearly every leg of its journey, the Torch has been extinguished for safety reasons. Additionally, out of respect for the victims of China’s Sichuan earthquake, the torch relay was stopped for three days in May.

4) You can’t eat dog at this year’s Olympics If you were planning to attend the 2008 Summer Olympic Games to feast on man’s best friend, you’ll be disappointed. Chinese officials have announced that canines won’t be offered on menus at specified Olympic restaurants. Dog meat was also banned at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. Additionally, in an effort to maintain order at the Games, the Beijing organizing committee has released a list of rules for those attending the events to follow. Attendees are prohibited from spitting, being rude, standing in the seating sections, waving flags of nations other than those competing, and carrying such items as crossbows, daggers, fireworks, guns, radioactive material, laser pointers, and musical instruments.

5) The Games have forcibly moved 1.5 million people While the Chinese government may be condemned globally for its treatment of Tibet and of citizens who practice Falun Gong, it’s not making many friends in Beijing either. Geneva’s Centre of Housing Rights and Evictions says that more than 1.5 million Chinese citizens have been displaced due to the 2008 Summer Olympic Games -- a claim the government denies. Even worse, the Beijing police is said to have imprisoned countless residents for protesting the evictions. Beijing Prepares for Olympic Opening Friday

Crowds of supporters await the arrival of the Olympic torch to Tiananmen Square, 06 Aug 2008

Beijing Prepares for Olympic Opening Friday The excitement is mounting in China as that nation prepares for the official start of the 2008 Olympic Games. Thousands of excited Chinese on Wednesday celebrated the arrival of the Olympic torch in Beijing. The vice president of China's Olympic Committee, Li Furong, was the last one to carry the torch as it arrived at a lighting ceremony in the historic Forbidden City. The opening ceremony will be held Friday in Beijing's "Bird Nest" national stadium. The games are set to open at 8:08 p.m. local time (1208 UTC). The event will be broadcast to an estimated one billion television viewers around the world.

Chinese police removing a protester from a light pole, after he placed a Chinese police removing a protester from a light pole, after he placed a "Free Tibet" banner near the Olympic stadium, 06 Aug 2008

Also Wednesday, China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, said two Americans and two British nationals were ordered to leave the country for demonstrating in favor of a free Tibet. The activists were detained for displaying giant "Free Tibet" banners near the main Olympic stadium in Beijing. Separately Wednesday, China revoked the visa of U.S. Olympic gold medalist and Darfur anti-violence campaigner Joey Cheek. White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino said the U.S. was disturbed to learn about the refusal. The International Olympic Committee's decision to have China host the Summer Olympics has been controversial because of the country's poor human rights record. The Beijing government's harsh crackdown on Tibetan protesters last March triggered demonstrations around the world in the run-up to the Olympics. But Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, repeated his support Wednesday for the Beijing Olympics and offered his good wishes for the games.

High-tech to prevent rain from dampening Beijing Olympic ceremony

High-tech to prevent rain from dampening Beijing Olympic ceremony

Beijing has mobilized all its science and engineering capability, including satellite monitoring and cloud seeding, to prevent rain from spoiling the extensively expected Olympic opening ceremony on August 8 as historical data indicate a 41 percent precipitation chance on that date. The Beijing weather engineering office, under the Beijing Municipal Meteorological Bureau, takes the lead in the Olympic weather modification project. The office doesn't bother to change a lot. It is asked to prevent rain from falling during the three and half hours -- from 8:08 p.m. to around 11:30 p.m. -- onto the Bird's Nest, the open-air National Stadium which will accommodate the opening ceremony. A technology developed by American scientists, cloud seeding is achieved by shooting shells or rockets containing silver iodide particles into clouds. The icy particles freeze drops in the clouds, make the drops continue growing and eventually fall out of the clouds. The weather engineering office is weaving a defensive web from adjacent provinces to the Beijing suburbs. Twenty-six control stations have been deployed to fend off clouds or delay their movement. The office hires 32,000 people, and recruits light aircraft, rockets and shells to spread silver iodide crystals or dry ice in clouds 50 km upwind of Beijing. Result estimates can be reported from control stations to the headquarters within 10 minutes. One silver iodide shell costs up to 88 yuan (US$12.75), one rocket is priced at 2,000 yuan (US$290), and one aircraft trip spends much more. About 100 shells or four rockets are used in each single action, according to experts. The office claimed to have eliminated a cloud by airborne spread of

infusorial earth on its top on June 2, 2005, which was not found documented in an academic journal. Meteorologists need to capitalize on radars and weather satellites to monitor colossal storms, which are usually unpredictable, and set off early warnings for Olympic weather services. One main strategy of the meteorologists is to engineer weather in order to keep the Olympics dry for at least the first three and half hours. Such research and experiments have been conducted since 2001 when Beijing successfully bade for the Olympic host. Many meteorologists agree that cloud seeding technology is only effective to small or mid-sized clouds and thus impossible to influence giant storm systems, which can cover up to a hundred square kilometers. The methodology is employed basically to speed up rain, delay rain, or change the place where rain falls, one Beijing-based expert said. Some meteorologists, meanwhile, argue the study on cloud formation and large-scale weather conditions is insufficient to effective weather modification. Others dispute on the negative impact of spreading silver iodide in the sky on environment. Yu Xinwen, a China Meteorological Administration (CMA) spokesman, said here Monday that the statistical probability of 41 percent, based on the meteorological data collected in the past 33 years, just offers a rough idea on a historical chance of precipitation. An instant case is the 15th Asian Games in December 2006 in Doha, Qatar. In a country where rain has been rarely seen, a deluge soaked athletes and spectators during the expensive and breathtaking opening ceremony. However, Yu said, "It's possible to predict the weather at the opening night one week in advance, and prediction accuracy will scale up leading to August 8." He expected more precise predictions within two days before the Olympics. As historical data indicate, early August is often warm and humid, and might not be an ideal timing for the Olympic opening. Many thought the Beijing Olympic organizers deliberately chose the auspicious eighth day of the eighth month. However, organizers said it was not the fact. Fortune-conscious Chinese do care lucky numbers, among others 8 is the best to represent prosperity and wealth. But decision makers were briefed by meteorologists that the week beginning with August 8 usually falls in the wettest period each year in Beijing. It was reported that the Beijing organizers proposed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to kick off the Games, ideally, on August 15. The final decision of the August 8 option from the IOC left Beijing the only choice to prevent rain, at least around the sky of the Bird's Nest. The urgency on weather engineering for the Olympic opening is based on

one assumption that the main sports venue has no roof. Architects did include a controlled full roof in their original design. The roofless version, which now stands in north of the city, allegedly saved taxpayers 300 million yuan (US$43 million). Source

Glamorous US swimmer Amanda Beard became the first athlete to cross the boundary between sport and politics at the Beijing Olympics today when she took part in a naked protest against the international fur trade

Ms Beard, a double Olympic Champion, posed for a nude picture as part of a publicity campaign run by the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). The swimmer, who is no stranger to showing a little skin - she posed naked for a centerfold in Playboy Magazine last year - said she was determined to use the Olympic platform as a stage for her views. "What happens with animals when their skin is ripped from their bodies when they are still alive, it's heartbreaking for me," she told reporters. The Chinese authorities did their best to limit the impact of her protest, shutting down a press conference which PETA had planned on the terrace of a hotel overlooking the 'Water Cube' Olympic swimming venue. After police turned organisers away from the hotel citing 'safety concerns', Ms Beard was forced to present her message from the side of the main road outside the Athlete's Village. "It was very disappointing," said Jason Baker, PETA's Asia-Pacific director, "We weren't

making a political attack on the Chinese government and had sent our press release in advance to the Beijing Committee, but apparently that was not enough." Ms Beard, 26, said she had no intention of upsetting the Chinese authorities, but wanted to convey her anti-fur message in China which is the world's leading fur exporter. "I'm not trying to be in everybody's face and be harsh or negative. I want to be calm and yet get my voice out there. I'm doing it for all those animals who don't have a voice," she said. Although the Olympic rules prevent athletes from making political statements, Swimming USA said that Ms Beard would not be censured for her actions. "Each athlete has been allowed to do one pre-competition publicity appearance and Amanda was only endorsing a campaign which she had signed up to before the Games," a spokeswoman for Swimming USA said. Officials are investigating reports that two Britons have been detained in China after unfurling Tibetan flags and two banners outside the Bird's Nest Olympic stadium in Beijing.

The protest group Students for a Free Tibet said four Tibet activists from Britain and the United States were detained in Beijing after displaying two 140-square-foot banners outside the Olympic stadium. The first read: "One World, One Dream: Free Tibet" in English, and the second: "Tibet Will Be Free" in English and "Free Tibet" in Chinese. The Free Tibet 2008 website said the two Britons arrested were Iain Thom,

24, from Edinburgh and Lucy Marion, 23, who grew up in Cambridge and now lives in London. The pair were arrested at 7am local time (midnight BST). A spokesman for the British Embassy in Beijing said it was aware of reports that two British nationals had been detained and officials were in touch with the Chinese authorities. The protest happened hours before the Olympic torch was due to arrive in Tiananmen Square, and two days before the Olympics opening ceremony takes place at the stadium. The British Embassy spokesman said: "We are aware of reports of two British nationals being detained near the national stadium in Beijing. We are in touch with the Chinese authorities and are requesting immediate consular access should this information be correct." The Free Tibet 2008 website says Mr Thom is grassroots co-ordinator for Students for a Free Tibet UK and has just finished working for Friends of the Earth Scotland. Ms Marion recently graduated from Bristol University. The website states she visited Tibet in 2003 and has since been dedicated to standing in solidarity with Tibetans in their struggle for freedom and human rights. The website names the two Americans as Phill Bartell, 34, from Boulder, Colorado and Tirian Mink, 32, a project manager from Portland, Oregon.