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Posted By	Discussion Topic: IOC believes Games will open up China
NYR2119935	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 12:32 PM
Psychopath Registered: May. 00	http://espn.go.com/oly/news/2001/0713/1225704.html MOSCOW -- Beijing was awarded the 2008 Olympics on Friday, winning the games for the world's most populous country for the first time despite criticism of its human rights record. The International Olympic Committee picked China over rival bids from Toronto; Paris; Istanbul, Turkey; and Osaka, Japan. Beijing won on the second round of a secret ballot by receiving 56 votes, four more than a majority. It set off an official celebration of fireworks, songs and flag-waving by thousands of people in Millennium Square in the western part of the Chinese capital. Traditional lion dancers joined a group of ballerinas after the announcement as spotlights and green lasers swept the sky. Toronto got 22 votes, Paris 18 and Istanbul nine on the final round. Osaka was eliminated in the first round of voting, with six votes, when Beijing led with 44. "I want to express the gratitude of the International Olympic Committee to all five candidate cities for their excellent work," president Juan Antonio Samaranch said just before announcing the winner. Then came the words the Chinese capital had waited seven years to hear: "The games of the 29th Olympiad in 2008 are awarded to the city of Beijing." Beijing was the front-runner throughout the race, even though it drew criticism about its human rights record. IOC members clearly believed that the Olympics will open China to the world, improve the human rights situation and speed social and economic reforms. Beijing's victory came seven years after it lost to Sydney by two votes in the election for the 2000 Olympics. Human rights issue were a factor in that defeat, with memories of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Tiananmen Square still fresh. The 2008 bid was also targeted by human rights activists, who said giving the games to China would reward a Communist regime that brutally represses its citizens and occupies Tibet. But many IOC members -- as well as some politicians -- embraced the position that the Olympics would promote positive change in the country of 1.3 billion people. In Washington, Rep. Tom Lantos, D-Calif., who introduced a bill in Congress opposing China's bid, denounced the selection of Beijing. "This decision will allow the Chinese police state to bask in the reflected glory of the Olympic Games despite having one of the most abominable human rights records in the world," he said. "China lacks political, religious and press freedoms, and it is an absolute outrage that the IOC has decided to reward China's deteriorating human rights record by giving Beijing the honor of hosting the Olympics." IOC officials also said China deserved the games because it is a rising sports power that has been a force in the Olympics since returning to the games in 1984 after a 32-year absence. At the White House, President Bush's national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said the selection was "an IOC decision." "What we do know is that American athletes are going to go there and they're going to compete and hopefully compete very well and bring home lots of gold medals," Rice said. "As to human rights in China and the agenda for human rights in our bilateral relationship with China, the president has made very clear that human rights will be on the agenda." Toronto and Paris had cast themselves as risk-free "bids of certainty." Toronto portrayed itself as the best bid for the athletes, while Paris played on its allure as the world's favorite tourist city. But Toronto was hurt by its mayor, Mel Lastman, who remarked recently that he feared attending an Olympic meeting in Africa because "I just see myself in a pot of boiling water with all these natives dancing around me." African IOC members raised the matter during Toronto's presentation to the general assembly Friday. Canadian officials said Lastman had apologized, and he was left off Toronto's official team at the ceremony. "The power of the IOC wanted Beijing. Now they have to live with it," said Paul Henderson, an IOC member from Canada who led Toronto's unsuccessful bid for the 1996 Games. "I think it was theirs all along. I think Beijing had to make mistakes. Toronto people can be very proud. They knew the odds were against them. ... We knew Beijing had great strengths." Paris, meanwhile, was unable to convince members to keep the Olympics in Europe for a third consecutive time after the 2004 Summer Games in Athens and 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy. The awarding of the 2008 Olympics was the first of two major decisions being taken by the IOC at its 112th session. On Monday, the IOC will elect a successor to Samaranch, who is stepping down after 21 years in office. CART Taco Bell Ice Hockey MetallicA
Francine Banger	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 12:57 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Dec. 00	How am I supposed to sleep at night knowing that Toronto got screwed here! Im Protesting the 2008 Olympics right now. This pisses me off more than the Rangers not getting Jagr. This message was edited by Francine Banger on 7-13-01 @ 1:00 PM
adolescentmasturbator	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 2:13 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Jan. 01	I just wonder if the athletes will be brainwashed and interrogated. As lewis black said China is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Human Rights. Resident Board Socialist Email me here IM me at stickysituation2 or pinkorag Webmaster of the Undergound Unofficial I Hate WhackBagKid Message Board I am currently looking for newbies to bring into the International It is better to die on your feet than live on your knees-Emiliano Zapata
MashedPotatohead NIGGA PLEASE! All the bitches in here are crazy!	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 2:16 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00	Like I care, as long as NYC gets the games for 2012
TeenWeek what's a status?	posted on 07-13-2001 @ 2:23 PM
O&A Board Regular Registered: Oct. 00	Remember the Olympics in Seoul, where all the boxers were screwed by the judges (Think Roy Jones in particular). They are all a bunch a slopes so they have that in common. They better not screw us over again.

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