Every time I hear an official Chinese voice or a pious sports blazer from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) tell us that the Beijing games are not political, I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. Why would an undemocratic regime organise a $35bn event—under the slogan “One world. One dream”—if not to reinforce its international prestige and domestic legitimacy?
Alongside its 28 sports, 31 venues, 200-plus national teams and over 10,000 athletes, the 29th modern Olympics is the political event of 2008. And Prospect’s short guide is your roadmap through the political twists and cultural turns that await.
Below, you will find Beijing’s place in the long history of political Olympics; a sketch of the city’s architectural transformation; a guide to some of the sports that we (in Britain) ignore but that are revered by others; a look at the potential political flashpoints; and a guide to following the games on television.
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