In July of 2001 the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing, China. Even though the People’s Republic of China is ecstatic to be hosting the country’s first Olympic Games, criticism of the Olympic Committee’s choice has been growing during the last seven years.
The Games themselves will be held in Beijing from August 8th to August 24th. The motto of this year’s Games, “One World, One Dream,” is meant to symbolize the Olympic spirit. But does allowing Beijing to host the 2008 Olympic Games really honor the spirit of “the common wishes of people all over the world”? Or does it reward a government for its blatant human right violations?
Cons
These are the points that everyone is talking about, and it has to be admitted that they’re pretty big ones. The simple fact that China is a communist dictatorship with total control over its citizens sets it apart from most hosts of the Games. This is a country where those that publicly advocate democracy are put in prison; allowing China to host the Olympics is like a reward for this and other human rights violations.
China’s occupation and treatment of Tibet has caused an international outcry, and many groups are calling for boycotts of the Beijing Games due to China’s policies.
Another negative aspect of awarding the games to China relates to health. China as a whole makes little effort to tackle pollution or climate change in any way. This both limits any attempt the rest of the international community may make to prevent global warming; and affects the air quality of the country itself. There are worries that this may adversely affect both the health and the performances of the athletes during the Games.
Pros
There are a number of good things about holding the Games in Beijing. It’s an amazing city with an incredible history, and hosting the games has encouraged China to open up to foreigners, loosening its previous restrictions on foreign reporting. This is good for visitors and for China itself. Engaging the outside world will help China to open up internationally, and perhaps change some of its policies.
In 1988, South Korea hosted the Olympic Games, and as a result made huge improvements in its human rights policies. The same thing may happen in China, and in fact may be happening already. During the last year, political prisoners have been freed, and China is listening more to advice on its policies and improving its justice system. Allowing China to host the games may do a lot to encourage a more fair and productive attitude towards international affairs.
