Editing 2008 Summer Olympics (section)

== Concerns and controversies ==
{{Main|Concerns and controversies at the 2008 Summer Olympics}}
[[File:Human Rights Abuse Cannot Co-exist with Beijing Olympics.jpg|thumb|The banner reads: "Human Rights Abuse Cannot Co-exist with Beijing Olympics", picture taken during the opening of the [[Human Rights Torch Relay]] event|alt=A crowd of protesters in a street displays a banner reading "Human Rights Abuse Cannot Co-exist with Beijing Olympics." Near the center of the image, a photographer holds a camera level with the banner while looking through the viewfinder.]]

A variety of concerns over the Games, or China's hosting of the Games, had been expressed by various entities, including claims that China violated its [[Beijing 2008 Olympic bid|pledge]] to allow open media access,<ref>{{cite news |last=Yardley |first=Jim |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/sports/olympics/09beijing.html |title=Two Concerns for Olympics – Air and Access – |location=Beijing (China) |work=The New York Times |date=9 July 2008 |access-date=16 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714011922/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/sports/olympics/09beijing.html |archive-date=14 July 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> various claims of human rights violations,<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3545274,00.html | title=Protestors Rally in Europe on Eve of China Olympics | work=[[Deutsche Welle]] | date=7 August 2008 | access-date=9 August 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808181051/http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3545274,00.html | archive-date=8 August 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=c06e4f24-ea77-467c-960e-abc94721e094 |title=China's un-Olympic human rights record |newspaper=Calgary Herald |date=9 August 2008 |access-date=9 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090625133402/http://www2.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/theeditorialpage/story.html?id=c06e4f24-ea77-467c-960e-abc94721e094 |archive-date=25 June 2009 }}</ref> its alleged continuous support of repressive regimes (such as Zimbabwe, Myanmar, Sudan, and North Korea), air pollution in both the city of Beijing and environs,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/07/content_6912755.htm|title=Ji Xinpeng: Beijing welcomes you with its blue sky|access-date=8 August 2008|work=China Daily|date=7 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080827092033/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/07/content_6912755.htm|archive-date=27 August 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> proposed [[Olympic boycotts|boycotts]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1009630.html |first=Saul |last=Newman |title=Why Grandpa boycotted the Olympics |newspaper=Haaretz |access-date=9 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080814031036/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1009630.html |archive-date=14 August 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> warnings of the possibility that the Beijing Olympics could be targeted by terrorist groups,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080425.wolyminterpol0425/BNStory/International/?id=RTGAM.20080425.wolyminterpol0425 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20080509082147/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080425.wolyminterpol0425/BNStory/International/?page=rss&id=RTGAM.20080425.wolyminterpol0425 |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2008 |title=Interpol says Olympic terror attack 'real possibility' |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Canada |access-date=29 November 2010 }}{{subscription required}}</ref> disruption from Tibetan separatist protesters,<ref name="interpol">{{cite web|url=http://www.intelasia.net/interpol-chief-warns-of-olympic-terror-threat-78573|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102082128/http://www.intelasia.net/interpol-chief-warns-of-olympic-terror-threat-78573|archive-date=2 November 2012|title=Interpol chief warns of Olympic terror threat|publisher=intelasia.net|access-date=13 July 2012}}</ref> and religious persecutions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-08/2008-08-10-voa26.cfm |title=Bush Olympic Visit Highlights Religion in China |date=10 August 2008 |publisher=Voice of America |first=Mike |last=O'Sullivan |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826095001/http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2008-08/2008-08-10-voa26.cfm |archive-date=26 August 2009 |url-status=dead |access-date=2 July 2009 }}</ref>

There were also claims that several members of China's women's gymnastics team, including double gold medal winner [[He Kexin]], were too young to compete under the [[International Gymnastics Federation]]'s rules for Olympic eligibility, but all were exonerated after an official IOC investigation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g_Ts7Mez2-NSOzTZbrAStD1DgTuQ |title=Olympic probe into age-fixing of Chinese gymnasts |date=21 August 2008 |access-date=29 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101207052845/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g_Ts7Mez2-NSOzTZbrAStD1DgTuQ |archive-date=7 December 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=2008 Chinese gymnasts cleared, but 2000 team eyed |publisher=[[ESPN]] |agency=Associated Press |date=1 October 2008 |url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/gymnastics/news/story?id=3619325 |access-date=1 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004050946/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/gymnastics/news/story?id=3619325 |archive-date=4 October 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

Collectively, the Beijing Olympics are associated with a variety of problematic topics: the ecological impact, residential displacement due to construction, treatment of migrant workers, the government's political stance on Tibet, etc.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Kang|first1=Jaeho|last2=Traganou|first2=Jilly|year=2011|title=The Beijing National Stadium as Media-space|journal=Design and Culture|volume=3|issue=2|pages=145–163|doi=10.2752/175470811X13002771867761|s2cid=143762612}}</ref> In the lead-up to the Olympics, the government allegedly issued guidelines to the local media for their reporting during the Games: most political issues not directly related to the Olympics were to be downplayed; topics such as pro-Tibetan independence and East Turkestan movements were not to be reported on, as were food safety issues such as "cancer-causing mineral water".<ref>Stephen Hutcheon, [https://www.smh.com.au/news/world/was-chinas-contaminated-milk-scandal-hushed-up/2008/09/15/1221330732015.html "Was China's milk scandal hushed up?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929073134/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/was-chinas-contaminated-milk-scandal-hushed-up/2008/09/15/1221330732015.html |date=29 September 2008 }}, [https://www.smh.com.au/news/off-the-field/the-full-list-of-edicts/2008/08/14/1218307066869.html "The full list of edicts"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924202932/http://www.smh.com.au/news/off-the-field/the-full-list-of-edicts/2008/08/14/1218307066869.html |date=24 September 2015 }}, ''New Zealand Herald'' (15 September 2008)</ref> As the [[2008 Chinese milk scandal]] broke in September 2008, there was widespread speculation that China's desire for a perfect Games may have been a factor contributing towards the delayed recall of contaminated [[infant formula]].<ref name=Telegraph>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/2963808/China-accused-over-contaminated-baby-milk.html|title=China accused over contaminated baby milk|author=Richard Spencer in Beijing|date=15 September 2008|work=Telegraph.co.uk|access-date=3 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081019192617/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/2963808/China-accused-over-contaminated-baby-milk.html|archive-date=19 October 2008|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/asia/24milk.html|title=China Says Complaints About Milk Began in 2007|date=24 September 2008|work=The New York Times|access-date=14 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170129060401/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/24/world/asia/24milk.html|archive-date=29 January 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

The 2008 Olympics were hit by a number of doping scandals before and after the Games had commenced. Since seven Russian track and field stars were suspended just before the start of the Games for allegedly tampering with their urine samples, only five of the seven who were due to take part could participate. Eleven Greek weightlifters also failed tests in the run up to the Games and the entire Bulgarian weightlifting team had to withdraw after eleven of their weightlifters also failed tests. A small number of athletes from other nations also failed pre-Games tests.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7477827.stm |title=Bulgaria withdraws lifting team |work=BBC Sport |date=27 June 2008 |access-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090226184403/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7477827.stm |archive-date=26 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7330927.stm |title=Greek 'B' samples test positive |work=BBC Sport |date=2 May 2008 |access-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408073929/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/weightlifting/7330927.stm |archive-date=8 April 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/7679893.stm |title=Seven Russians handed doping bans |work=BBC Sport |date=20 October 2008 |access-date=27 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023172031/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/athletics/7679893.stm |archive-date=23 October 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>