Editing 2008 Summer Olympics (section)

==== National participation changes ====
[[File:Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg|thumb|Flag of the Chinese Taipei Olympic Committee.]]
Athletes from the [[Republic of China]] (Taiwan) competed at the 2008 Games as [[Chinese Taipei]] (TPE) under the [[Chinese Taipei Olympic flag]] and used the [[National Banner Song]] as their official anthem. The participation of Taiwan was briefly in doubt because of disagreements over the name of their team in the Chinese language and concerns about Taiwan marching in the Opening Ceremony next to the special administrative region of Hong Kong. A compromise based at the [[Nagoya Protocol]] about the naming was reached some months before the opening ceremonies, and Taiwan was referred to during the Games as "Chinese Taipei", rather than "Taipei, China," as the mainland China government had proposed. In addition, the [[Central African Republic at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Central African Republic]] was placed between Taipei and [[Hong Kong at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Hong Kong,China]] on protocol order.<ref>{{cite news | last = Callick | first = Rowan | title = Taiwan clears Games hurdle | work = The Australian | date = 4 August 2008 | url = http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24123163-5013406,00.html | archive-url = https://archive.today/20120526213717/http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24123163-5013406,00.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 26 May 2012 | access-date = 15 June 2009 }}</ref>

Starting in 2005, [[North Korea]] and South Korea held meetings to discuss the possibility of sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics.<ref name="Korea1">{{cite news| title = Koreas 'to unify Olympics teams'| url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4396170.stm| publisher = BBC| date = 14 May 2006| access-date = 17 December 2006| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060628082744/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4396170.stm| archive-date = 28 June 2006| url-status = live}}</ref><ref name="Korea2">{{cite news|title=Two Koreas Make Progress in Creation of Unified Team |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1893 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029024041/http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1893 |archive-date=29 October 2007 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |date=5 September 2006 |access-date=10 September 2006 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The proposal failed, because of disagreements about how athletes would be chosen; North Korea was demanding a certain percentage representation for its athletes. A subsequent attempt to broker an agreement for the two nations to walk together during the March of Nations failed as well, despite their having done so during the 2000 and 2004 Games.<ref>{{cite news | last = Wilson | first = Stephen | title = North, South Korea Fail To Broker Joint Olympics March | agency = Associated Press | date = 7 August 2008 | url = http://www.nysun.com/foreign/north-south-korea-fail-to-broker-joint-olympics/83398/ | access-date = 15 June 2009 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081205053616/http://www.nysun.com/foreign/north-south-korea-fail-to-broker-joint-olympics/83398/ | archive-date = 5 December 2008 | url-status = live }}</ref>

On 24 July 2008, the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) banned [[Iraq at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Iraq]] from competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games because of "political interference by the government in sports."<ref>{{cite news | title = Iraq banned from Summer Olympics | publisher = CNN | date = 24 July 2008 | url = http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.olympics/index.html | access-date = 24 July 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080727024900/http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.olympics/index.html | archive-date = 27 July 2008 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics |work=BBC Sport |date=24 July 2008 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7523708.stm |access-date=24 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725001202/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7523708.stm |archive-date=25 July 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The IOC reversed its decision five days later and allowed the nation to compete after a pledge by Iraq to ensure "the independence of its national Olympics panel" by instituting fair elections before the end of November. In the meantime, Iraq's Olympic Organization was to be run by "an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-29-1527812812_x.htm|title=Olympic panel ends ban, says Iraq can go to games|author=Jordans, Frank|work=USA Today|date=29 July 2008|access-date=20 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623190358/http://www.usatoday.com/news/topstories/2008-07-29-1527812812_x.htm|archive-date=23 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

{{anchor|Brunei}}
[[Brunei|Brunei Darussalam]] was due to take part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. However, they were disqualified on 8 August, having failed to register either of their two athletes.<ref>{{cite news|title=Brunei Darussalam excluded from Beijing Olympic Games |publisher=[[Xinhua]] |date=8 August 2008 |url=http://www.china.org.cn/olympics/news/2008-08/08/content_16167337.htm |access-date=8 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813082320/http://www.china.org.cn/olympics/news/2008-08/08/content_16167337.htm |archive-date=13 August 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement that "it is a great shame and very sad for the athletes who lose out because of the decision by their team not to register them. The IOC tried up until the last minute, midday Friday 8 August 2008, the day of the official opening, to have them register, but to no avail."<ref>{{cite news | title = Brunei excluded from Beijing Games | work = Reuters | date = 8 August 2008 |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK32791920080808 | access-date =15 June 2009}}</ref> Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports issued a press release stating that their decision not to participate was due to an injury to one of their athletes.<ref>{{cite news|author=Thomas, Jason |author2=Begawan, Bandar Seri |title=Brunei not in China because ... |work=The Brunei Times |date=10 August 2008 |url=http://www.bt.com.bn/en/sport/2008/08/10/brunei_not_in_china_because |access-date=15 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201090922/http://bt.com.bn/en/sport/2008/08/10/brunei_not_in_china_because |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}</ref>

[[Georgia (country)|Georgia]] announced on 9 August 2008, that it was considering withdrawing from the Beijing Olympic Games because of the [[2008 South Ossetia war]], but it went on to compete while the conflict was still ongoing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Olympics2008/0,,2-9-2370_2372929,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080825021441/http://www.news24.com/News24/Sport/Olympics2008/0%2C%2C2-9-2370_2372929%2C00.html |archive-date=25 August 2008 |title=24.com – Olympics 2008 – Georgia poised to leave Beijing |date=8 September 2008 |access-date=25 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>