China has warned that the 2008 Olympics in Beijing will be a top terror target, security forces and intelligence gathering with other countries will therefore be upgraded.
Beijing has outlined security plans for the Games, and will utilise foreign expertise and subway, taxi and bus drivers.
Qiang Wei, deputy Communist Party Secretary of Beijing, said:
"As a massive gathering of thousands of athletes, coaches, journalists and leading officials from more 200 countries, the Olympic Games is one of the prime targets for terrorists who want to make worldwide unrest,"
Adding:
"Apart from mobilising domestic resources, Beijing will team up with the security institutions of other countries during its preparations for the Games."
China has invited several leading police officials from six other capitals, including Moscow, to attend a forum in Beijing.
The aim, according to Qiang Wei, is to work together; quote:
"In the future, we will try to work with many more cities, especially those that have hosted the Olympic Games, to learn about their experiences,".
Wednesday, 11 May 2005
Tuesday, 10 May 2005
Blair Backs Olympics
Prime Minister Tony Blair has endorsed a new brochure, that outlines a time line for the delivery of a London Olympics in 2012.
Blair is quoted in the pamphlet as saying:
"My commitment is total. I will do everything I can to deliver,"
The timeline:
2006 – Opening of the new Wembley Stadium.
2007 – Completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link between the Olympic Park and central London.
2008 – Work is finished on the Aquatics Centre and the Velopark.
2011 -- Terminal 5 at Heathrow opens
The brochure also says that if London wins the bid, the organising committee that will follow is to be led by bid chairman Sebastian Coe and Chief Executive Keith Mills.
However, Blair is likely to step down as PM within the next 18 months.
Blair is quoted in the pamphlet as saying:
"My commitment is total. I will do everything I can to deliver,"
The timeline:
2006 – Opening of the new Wembley Stadium.
2007 – Completion of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link between the Olympic Park and central London.
2008 – Work is finished on the Aquatics Centre and the Velopark.
2011 -- Terminal 5 at Heathrow opens
The brochure also says that if London wins the bid, the organising committee that will follow is to be led by bid chairman Sebastian Coe and Chief Executive Keith Mills.
However, Blair is likely to step down as PM within the next 18 months.
Monday, 9 May 2005
Finger Fighting Olympics
The game of rock, paper, scissors (RPS) has its own world championships.
Last year the RPS world championships were held in Canada, and attracted 1000 competitors from around the world.
This year the Australian contingent will be holding qualifying state, territory, then national rounds in August to pick Australia's best for the international finals.
Last year the RPS world championships were held in Canada, and attracted 1000 competitors from around the world.
This year the Australian contingent will be holding qualifying state, territory, then national rounds in August to pick Australia's best for the international finals.
Saturday, 7 May 2005
Singapore Influx
Up to 5,000 people are expected to be in Singapore for the IOC meeting and vote for the host of the 2012 Olympics.
This influx is expected to generate $24M for the local economy.
This influx is expected to generate $24M for the local economy.
Thursday, 5 May 2005
IOC Blow It
Dick Pound, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) chairman, claims that both the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the official lab of the Athens Olympics made mistakes that enabled time-trial champion Tyler Hamilton to escape charges of alleged blood doping.
Quote:
"As far as I understand...(the lab director) blew it and also the IOC blew it,".
Hamilton tested positive for a blood transfusion in August, after winning the Olympic time-trial gold medal.
However, he kept his gold medal because the IOC said the result of a follow-up sample was "non-conclusive" because it had been destroyed by being deep-frozen.
Pound went on to say:
"The lab director didn't deal with (the sample) right away as a positive case, and the IOC didn't notice the problem for several days...It should have been reported as a positive case instead of merely suspicious, and the IOC should have been reading these forms every day...they didn't respond quickly enough,".
In December, Greek prosecutors launched an investigation into the blunder. They say that they want to determine if the deep freezing was deliberate or negligent.
Quote:
"As far as I understand...(the lab director) blew it and also the IOC blew it,".
Hamilton tested positive for a blood transfusion in August, after winning the Olympic time-trial gold medal.
However, he kept his gold medal because the IOC said the result of a follow-up sample was "non-conclusive" because it had been destroyed by being deep-frozen.
Pound went on to say:
"The lab director didn't deal with (the sample) right away as a positive case, and the IOC didn't notice the problem for several days...It should have been reported as a positive case instead of merely suspicious, and the IOC should have been reading these forms every day...they didn't respond quickly enough,".
In December, Greek prosecutors launched an investigation into the blunder. They say that they want to determine if the deep freezing was deliberate or negligent.
Wednesday, 4 May 2005
Size Matters
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided that size matters after all.
They have imposed a ruling on sports manufacturers to reduce the sizes of uniform logos for the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics.
The IOC are to ban brand logos larger than 3.1 square inches, or 7.8 square centimeters, on uniforms starting at next year's Games.
Addidas and Nike are reportedly working on changes.
They have imposed a ruling on sports manufacturers to reduce the sizes of uniform logos for the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics.
The IOC are to ban brand logos larger than 3.1 square inches, or 7.8 square centimeters, on uniforms starting at next year's Games.
Addidas and Nike are reportedly working on changes.
Tuesday, 3 May 2005
Money For Competing
Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen is reported to have said that NBA players should be paid for appearing at the Olympics.
Quote:
"You're dealing with a different animal than the other sports..You've got people who are selling out buildings (venues) and if you want these particular (NBA) players there, how do you get them there?..You're making money off their merchandising. You're not making money off the discus thrower."
He added:
"I'm by no means saying I need to get paid..but you're talking about some of these young players who are some of the best players in the world and why would they want to play in the summer?..Most athletes, they hunger for the Olympics every four years. They spend their lives wanting to get there and that's what they want to do..But we're different. We've just finished an 82-game season and we want to chill out."
He said that salaries for the NBA professionals could be generated from merchandise that is sold featuring the players.
The Olympics is all about money anyway, what possible difference would this proposal make?
Otherwise, these guys needn't bother going and the Games will continue without them.
Quote:
"You're dealing with a different animal than the other sports..You've got people who are selling out buildings (venues) and if you want these particular (NBA) players there, how do you get them there?..You're making money off their merchandising. You're not making money off the discus thrower."
He added:
"I'm by no means saying I need to get paid..but you're talking about some of these young players who are some of the best players in the world and why would they want to play in the summer?..Most athletes, they hunger for the Olympics every four years. They spend their lives wanting to get there and that's what they want to do..But we're different. We've just finished an 82-game season and we want to chill out."
He said that salaries for the NBA professionals could be generated from merchandise that is sold featuring the players.
The Olympics is all about money anyway, what possible difference would this proposal make?
Otherwise, these guys needn't bother going and the Games will continue without them.
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