Editing 2008 Summer Olympics

{{Short description|Multi-sport event in Beijing, China}}
{{Redirect|Beijing 2008|the video game|Beijing 2008 (video game)|the Summer Paralympics|2008 Summer Paralympics}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox Olympic games|2008|Summer|Olympics|
| image = 2008 Summer Olympics logo.svg
| image_size = 185
| caption = Emblem of the 2008 Summer Olympics{{Efn|The official logo for the 2008 Summer Olympics, featuring a depiction of the Chinese pictogram "京", from the word '''Beijing''' ({{lang|zh|'''北京'''}}) representing a dancing human figure, in reference to the host city. Below are the words "Beijing 2008" located above the Olympic rings.}}
| host_city = Beijing, China
| motto = ''One World, One Dream''<br />({{zh|s=同一个世界 同一个梦想|labels=no}}; ''Tóng yīge shìjìe tóng yīge mèngxiǎng'')
| nations = 204
| athletes = 10,899 (6,290 men, 4,609 women)
| events = 302 in 28 [[Olympic sports|sports]] (41 disciplines)
| opening = 8 August 2008
| closing = 24 August 2008
| opened_by     = [[President of the People's Republic of China|President]] [[Hu Jintao]]<ref name="Opening and Cauldron">{{cite press release |title=Factsheet - Opening Ceremony of the Games of the Olympiad|url=https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf|url-status=live |publisher=International Olympic Committee|date=9 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160814215458/https://stillmed.olympic.org/Documents/Reference_documents_Factsheets/Opening_ceremony_of_the_Games_of_the_Olympiad.pdf |archive-date=14 August 2016|access-date=22 December 2018}}</ref>{{efn|name=China head of state|[[List of people who have opened the Olympic Games|IOC records]] state [[Hu Jintao]] opened the Beijing Games as "[[President of the People's Republic of China|President]]", ''de jure'' head of state. Though Hu Jintao was also ''de facto'' [[Paramount leader|ruler]] as [[General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party]], that title is not reflected in IOC records.}}
| closed_by     = [[President of the International Olympic Committee|IOC President]] [[Jacques Rogge]]
| cauldron = [[Li Ning]]<ref name="Opening and Cauldron"/>
| stadium = [[Beijing National Stadium]]
| summer_prev = [[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens 2004]]
| summer_next = [[2012 Summer Olympics|London 2012]]
| winter_prev = [[2006 Winter Olympics|Torino 2006]]
| winter_next = [[2010 Winter Olympics|Vancouver 2010]] 
}}
{{2008 Summer Olympics}}

The '''2008 Summer Olympics''' ({{zh|s=2008年夏季奥运会|c=|labels=yes}}), officially the '''Games of the XXIX Olympiad''' ({{zh|s=第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会|c=|labels=yes}}) and officially branded as '''Beijing 2008''' ({{zh|s=北京2008|labels=yes}}), were an international [[multisport event]] held from 8 to 24&nbsp;August 2008, in [[Beijing]], China.{{efn|Although the Games officially started on 8&nbsp;August 2008, the first [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics|football]] matches were held on 6&nbsp;August.}} A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 [[National Olympic Committee]]s (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events, one event more than those scheduled for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="athletes_number">{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/beijing-2008-summer-olympics |title=Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics Games |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=5 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623041355/http://www.olympic.org/beijing-2008-summer-olympics |archive-date=23 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> This was the first time [[China]] had hosted the [[Olympic Games]], and the third time the [[Summer Olympic Games]] had been held in [[East Asia]], following the [[1964 Summer Olympics|1964 Olympics]] in [[Tokyo]], Japan, and the [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Olympics]] in [[Seoul]], South Korea. These were also the second Summer [[Olympic Games]] to be held in a [[communist state]], the first being the [[1980 Summer Olympics]] in the Soviet Union (with venues in [[Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic|Russia]], [[Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic|Ukraine]], [[Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic|Byelorussia]], and [[Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic|Estonia]]).

Beijing was [[2008 Summer Olympics bids|awarded the 2008 Games]] over four competitors on 13&nbsp;July 2001, having won a majority of votes from members of the [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC) after two rounds of voting.<ref name="auto1">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/14/sports/olympics-beijing-wins-bid-for-2008-olympic-games.html | work=The New York Times | title=OLYMPICS; Beijing Wins Bid for 2008 Olympic Games | first=Jere | last=Longman | date=14 July 2001 | access-date=4 February 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124165513/http://nytimes.com/2001/07/14/sports/olympics-beijing-wins-bid-for-2008-olympic-games.html | archive-date=24 November 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref> The [[Government of the People's Republic of China]] promoted the 2008 Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transport systems. 37 venues were used to host the events, including twelve constructed specifically for the 2008 Games. The [[Equestrian at the 2008 Summer Olympics|equestrian events]] were held in [[Hong Kong]], making these the third Olympics for which the events were held under the jurisdiction of two different NOCs.{{efn|The other two instances were the [[1956 Summer Olympics]], where the equestrian events were held in [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]], due to strict Australian quarantine rules, and the other Olympic events were held in [[Melbourne]], [[Australia]]; and the [[1920 Summer Olympics]], which were hosted by [[Antwerp]], [[Belgium]], but the final two races of the {{convert|12|ft|m|abbr=on}} dinghy event in [[Sailing at the 1920 Summer Olympics|sailing]] took place in the [[Netherlands]].}} The [[Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|sailing events]] were contested in [[Qingdao]], while the [[Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics|football events]] took place across several different cities.

The official logo for the 2008 Games, titled "[[Dancing Beijing]]" ({{lang|zh|舞动北京}}), created by [[Guo Chunning]] ({{lang|zh|郭春宁}}), featured the Chinese character for ''capital'' ({{zh|c=京|labels=no}}, stylized into the shape of a human being) in reference to the host city. The 2008 Olympics were watched by 3.5&nbsp;billion people worldwide, and featured the longest distance for an Olympic Torch relay.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-distance-for-an-olympic-torch-relay |title=Longest distance for an Olympic torch relay |work=Guinness World Records |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612170947/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-distance-for-an-olympic-torch-relay |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=62553Q%3AUS&sid=aT3QhOOTmtmQ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919155334/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=62553Q%3AUS&sid=aT3QhOOTmtmQ |archive-date=19 September 2009 | work=[[Bloomberg News|Bloomberg]] | title=Beijing Olympics Attracted Most Viewers, Nielsen Says | first=Andy | last=Fixmer | date=5 September 2008| access-date=4 February 2011 }}</ref> The 2008 Games also set [[World and Olympic records set at the 2008 Summer Olympics|numerous world and Olympic records]], and were the most expensive Summer Olympics of all time, and the second most expensive overall, after the [[2014 Winter Olympics|2014 Winter Games]] in [[Sochi]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rabinovitch |first1=Simon |title=Beijing Games to be costliest, but no debt legacy |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-cost/beijing-games-to-be-costliest-but-no-debt-legacy-idUSPEK25823820080805 |work=U.S. |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141518/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-olympics-cost/beijing-games-to-be-costliest-but-no-debt-legacy-idUSPEK25823820080805 |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=#1: 2008 Beijing Games - $40 billion - pg.2 |url=https://www.forbes.com/pictures/54f4e720da47a54de8245dda/1-2008-beijing-games---40/ |website=Forbes |language=en |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144218/https://www.forbes.com/pictures/54f4e720da47a54de8245dda/1-2008-beijing-games---40/ |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening ceremony]] was lauded by spectators and numerous international presses as spectacular, spellbinding, and by many accounts, "the greatest ever in the history of Olympics".<ref name="AFPGreatestEver">{{cite web|url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibNAUAq-kZNOy3LmO9HAI2cN-smg |title=Press hails 'greatest ever' Olympic opening show |publisher=[[Agence France-Presse]] |date=9 August 2008 |access-date=9 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080812004040/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5ibNAUAq-kZNOy3LmO9HAI2cN-smg |archive-date=12 August 2008 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=World records set in Beijing Olympics |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/24/content_6966682.htm |work=chinadaily.com.cn |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141832/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-08/24/content_6966682.htm |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=China to showcase art performance directed by Zhang Yimou at Pyeongchang Winter Olympics |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-to-showcase-art-performance-directed-by-zhang-yimou-at-pyeongchang-winter |work=The Straits Times |date=27 January 2018 |language=en |access-date=10 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612144003/https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/china-to-showcase-art-performance-directed-by-zhang-yimou-at-pyeongchang-winter |archive-date=12 June 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Beijing hosted the [[2022 Winter Olympics]], making it the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Games.

An unprecedented 87 countries won at least one medal during the 2008 Games. Host nation [[China at the 2008 Summer Olympics|China]] won the most gold medals (48), and became the seventh different team to top the Summer Olympics medal standings, winning a total of 100 medals overall. The [[United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics|United States]] placed second in the gold medal tally but won the highest number of medals overall (112). The third place in the gold and overall medal tally was achieved by [[Russia at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Russia]].

This Olympic Games marked the return of the Summer Olympic Games to Asia after the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. It was the first Olympics for [[Serbia]] as a separate state since 1912 and the first for [[Montenegro]], having separated from Serbia in 2006. It was also the first Olympics for [[Nepal]] as a republic, the [[Marshall Islands]] and [[Tuvalu]]. [[Mongolia]] and [[Panama]] each won their first Olympic gold medal. In addition, [[Afghanistan]], [[Mauritius]], Serbia, [[Sudan]], [[Tajikistan]] and [[Togo]] won their first Olympic medals at these Games. [[North Korea]], having symbolically marched with South Korea as one team at the opening ceremonies of the preceding three Games that it entered ([[2000 Summer Olympics|2000]] in [[Sydney]], [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]] in [[Athens]], and [[2006 Winter Olympics|2006]] in [[Turin]]), paraded separately this time.

==Organization==
===Bid===
{{Main|Bids for the 2008 Summer Olympics}}
Under the direction of [[Liu Qi (politician, born 1942)|Liu Qi]], Beijing was elected as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics on 13 July 2001, during the [[List of IOC meetings|112th]] [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]] Session in Moscow, defeating bids from Toronto, Paris, [[Istanbul]], and [[Osaka]]. Prior to the session, five other cities ([[Bangkok]], [[Cairo]], [[Havana]], [[Kuala Lumpur]], and [[Seville]]) had submitted bids to the IOC, but failed to make the short list chosen by the IOC Executive Committee in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by a [[majority]] of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds.<ref name="Election">{{cite web|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/election_uk.asp |title=Beijing 2008: Election |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=18 December 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061205234608/http://olympic.org/uk/games/beijing/election_uk.asp |archive-date=5 December 2006 |url-status=live  }}</ref> Toronto's bid was its fifth failure since 1960 (failed bids for 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1996 Games, losing to Rome, Tokyo, Montreal and Atlanta).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/07/24/toronto-has-made-5-attempts-to-host-the-olympics-could-the-sixth-be-the-winner.html|title=Toronto has made 5 attempts to host the Olympics. Could the sixth be the winner?|author=Peter Edwards|work=[[Toronto Star]]|date=24 July 2015|access-date=7 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910160435/http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/07/24/toronto-has-made-5-attempts-to-host-the-olympics-could-the-sixth-be-the-winner.html|archive-date=10 September 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

Members of the IOC did not disclose their votes, but news reports speculated that broad international support led to China's selection, especially from developing nations that had received assistance from China to construct stadiums. The size of China, its increased enforcement of doping controls, and sympathy concerning its loss of the [[2000 Summer Olympics]] to Sydney were all factors in the decision.<ref name="auto1" /> Eight years earlier, Beijing had led every round of [[2000 Summer Olympics bids|voting]] for the 2000 Summer Olympics before losing to Sydney by two votes in the final round.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/09/24/sports/olympics-2000-olympics-go-to-sydney-in-surprise-setback-for-china.html | title=Olympics; 2000 Olympics Go to Sydney In Surprise Setback for China | work=[[The New York Times]] | date=24 September 1993 | access-date=5 June 2009 | author=Riding, Alan | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130021127/http://nytimes.com/1993/09/24/sports/olympics-2000-olympics-go-to-sydney-in-surprise-setback-for-china.html | archive-date=30 November 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref>

Human rights concerns expressed by [[Amnesty International]] and politicians in both Europe and North America were considered by the delegates, according to IOC Executive Director François Carrard. Carrard and others suggested that the selection might lead to improvements in human rights in China. In addition, many IOC delegates who had formerly been athletes expressed concern about heat and air quality during the Games, considering the high levels of air pollution in Beijing. China outlined plans to address these environmental concerns in its bid application.<ref name="auto1" />

{| class="wikitable"
|+ 2008 Summer Olympics bidding results
|-
! rowspan=2 | City
! rowspan=2 | Country
! colspan=2 style="background:silver;"| Round
|-
! style="background:silver;"| 1
! style="background:silver;"| 2
|-
| '''[[Beijing]]'''
| '''{{flag|China}}'''
| style="text-align:center;"| '''44''' 
| style="text-align:center;"| '''56'''
|-
| [[Toronto]] 
| {{flag|Canada}} 
| style="text-align:center;"| 20
| style="text-align:center;"| 22
|-
| [[Paris]]
| {{flag|France}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 15 
| style="text-align:center;"| 18
|-
| [[Istanbul]]
| {{flag|Turkey}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 17
| style="text-align:center;"| 9
|-
| [[Osaka]]
| {{flag|Japan}}
| style="text-align:center;"| 6 
| style="text-align:center;"| —
|}

===Costs===
[[File:Beijing Olympic Green.jpg|thumb|[[Olympic Green]], from above]]
[[File:Beijing China Beijing-National-Stadium-02.jpg|thumb|[[Beijing National Stadium]], or "Bird's Nest"]]
[[File:国家游泳中心夜景.jpg|thumb|[[Beijing National Aquatics Center|National Aquatics Center]] or "Water Cube"]]
[[File:Beijing National Indoor Stadium 2019 2.jpg|thumb|[[Beijing National Indoor Stadium|National Indoor Stadium]]]]
[[File:北京五棵松蓝球场 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|[[Wukesong Indoor Stadium]]]]

On 6 March 2009, the [[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] reported that total spending on the Games was "generally as much as that of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games", which was equivalent to about US$15&nbsp;billion. They went on to claim that surplus revenues from the Games would exceed the original target of $16&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Surplus of Beijing Olympic Games exceeds 16 million USD|url=http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90884/6608035.html|publisher=[[People's Daily Online]]|date=6 March 2009|access-date=5 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624100914/http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90884/6608035.html|archive-date=24 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Other reports, however, estimated the total costs from $40&nbsp;to $44&nbsp;billion, which would make the Games "far and away the most expensive ever".<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK25823820080805 | title=Beijing Games to be costliest, but no debt legacy | work=[[Reuters]] | date=5 August 2008 | access-date=5 June 2009 | author=Rabinovitch, Simon | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714014915/http://www.reuters.com/article/GCA-Olympics/idUSPEK25823820080805 | archive-date=14 July 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://english.pravda.ru/sports/games/06-08-2008/106003-beijing_olympics-0/|title=Beijing Olympics to cost China 44 billion dollars|work=Pravda|date=8 August 2008|access-date=29 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120802050026/http://english.pravda.ru/sports/games/06-08-2008/106003-beijing_olympics-0/|archive-date=2 August 2012|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/jul/28/olympicgames2008.china1|title=The cost of the Beijing Olympics|work=The Guardian|location=London|date=28 July 2008|access-date=5 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130902123910/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2008/jul/28/olympicgames2008.china1|archive-date=2 September 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Its budget was later exceeded by the [[2014 Winter Olympics]] in [[Sochi]], which suffered from major [[cost overrun]]s; the 2014 Winter Olympics costed roughly US$50&nbsp;billion in public funding.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/did-the-winter-olympics-in-sochi-really-cost-50-billion-a-closer-look-at-that-figure/2014/02/10/a29e37b4-9260-11e3-b46a-5a3d0d2130da_story.html|newspaper=Washington Post|title=Did the Winter Olympics in Sochi really cost $50 billion? A closer look at that figure.|date=10 February 2014|author=Paul Farhi}}</ref> The ''Oxford Olympics Study 2016'' estimates the outturn cost of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics at US$6.8 billion in 2015-dollars. This includes sports-related costs only, such as those incurred by the organizing committee or those incurred by the host city, country, and private investors to build structures required to host the Games. Indirect capital costs—those not directly related to staging the Games—are not included. The Beijing Olympics' cost of US$6.8 billion compares with costs of US$4.6 billion for Rio 2016 and US$15 billion for London 2012.<ref>{{Cite book|ssrn=2804554|title=The Oxford Olympics Study 2016: Cost and Cost Overrun at the Games|last1=Flyvbjerg|first1=Bent|last2=Stewart|first2=Allison|last3=Budzier|first3=Alexander|publisher=Saïd Business School Working Papers (Oxford: University of Oxford)|year=2016|location=Oxford|pages=18–20|doi=10.2139/ssrn.2804554 |arxiv=1607.04484 | issn = 1556-5068 }}</ref>

===Venues===
{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics venues|Olympic Green|Beijing National Stadium}}

By May 2007 the construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun.<ref name="Under construction">{{cite news |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/01/32/article214073201.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126161002/http://en.beijing2008.cn/01/32/article214073201.shtml |archive-date=26 January 2008 | title=All Beijing-based Olympic venues under construction | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=11 May 2007 | access-date=11 May 2007}}</ref> The Chinese government renovated and constructed six venues outside Beijing, and constructed 59 training facilities. The largest structures built were the [[Beijing National Stadium]], [[Beijing National Indoor Stadium]], [[Beijing National Aquatics Center]], [[Peking University Gymnasium]], [[Olympic Green Convention Center]], [[Olympic Green]], and [[Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center]]. Almost 85% of the construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $2.1&nbsp;billion ([[Renminbi|RMB¥]]17.4&nbsp;billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beijing Olympics funding exceeds $43 bn |publisher=NDTV.com |date=4 August 2008 |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080060086&ch=8/4/2008%209:09:00%20PM |access-date=10 August 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818060103/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/showsports.aspx?id=SPOEN20080060086&ch=8%2F4%2F2008%209%3A09%3A00%20PM |archive-date=18 August 2009 }}</ref> Some events were held outside Beijing, namely [[Football at the Summer Olympics|football]] in [[Qinhuangdao]], [[Shanghai]], [[Shenyang]], and [[Tianjin]]; [[Sailing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|sailing]] in [[Qingdao]]; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing a disease-free zone", the [[Equestrian at the Summer Olympics|equestrian]] events were held in [[Hong Kong]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Hong Kong Olympic Equestrian Venue |publisher=Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/equ/index.shtml |access-date=10 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080809223815/http://en.beijing2008.cn/venues/equ/index.shtml |archive-date= 9 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Some stadiums were built on the former site of [[hutong]] neighbourhoods, including [[Qianmen Subdistrict]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/12/world/asia/12beijing.html |title=Olympics Imperil Historic Beijing Neighborhood |last=Yardley |first=Jim |author-link=Jim Yardley |date=12 July 2006 |access-date=26 March 2023 |work=[[New York Times]]}}</ref>

The showpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the [[2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony|opening]] and [[2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony|closing]] ceremonies, as well as the [[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|athletics]] competition.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/supporters-protesters-greet-olympic-torch-s-arrival-in-beijing-1.701340 | title=Supporters, protesters greet Olympic torch's arrival in Beijing | work=[[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC News]] | date=6 August 2009 | access-date=20 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231233748/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/supporters-protesters-greet-olympic-torch-s-arrival-in-beijing-1.701340 | archive-date=31 December 2008 | url-status=live }}</ref> Construction of the venue began on 24 December 2003. The [[Guangdong Olympic Stadium]] was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0501/design_1-1.html |title=China's Banner Stadium |author=Libby, Brian |date=1 May 2002 |work=Architecture Week |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090423073050/http://www.architectureweek.com/2002/0501/design_1-1.html |archive-date=23 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2001, the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Several criteria were required of each design, including flexibility for post-Olympics use, a [[retractable roof]], and low maintenance costs.<ref name=Syndrome>{{cite news|first= Arthur|last= Lubow|author-link= Arthur Lubow|title= The China Syndrome|url= https://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/magazine/21bejing.html|work= The New York Times|date= 6 May 2006|access-date= 5 June 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121113083951/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/magazine/21bejing.html|archive-date= 13 November 2012|url-status= live}}</ref> The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bjghw.gov.cn/forNationalStadium/indexeng.asp |title=Presentation of Competation |access-date=28 August 2008 |publisher=Beijing Municipal Commission of Urban Planning |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080619150023/http://www.bjghw.gov.cn/forNationalStadium/indexeng.asp |archive-date=19 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The bird's nest model submitted by architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in collaboration with Li Xinggang of China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG) was selected as the top design by both a professional panel and by a broader audience during a public exhibition. The selection of the design became official in April 2003.<ref name=Syndrome/> Construction of the stadium was a joint venture among the original designers, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist [[Ai Weiwei]], and a group of CADG architects led by Li Xinggang. Its $423&nbsp;million cost was funded by the state-owned corporate conglomerate [[CITIC]] and the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Company.<ref name=Syndrome/><ref name=AR93>{{cite journal|last= Pasternack|first= Alex|author2= Clifford A. Pearson|date= July 2008|title= National Stadium|journal= [[Archit. Rec.|Architectural Record]]|pages= 92–9|url= http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/0807nationalstadium-1.asp|access-date= 5 June 2009|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110612190219/http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/portfolio/archives/0807nationalstadium-1.asp|archive-date= 12 June 2011|url-status= live}}</ref>

===Transport===
[[File:Beijing 2008 olympic venue.svg|thumb|A map of the Olympic venues in Beijing. Several expressways [[Beltway|encircle]] the center of the city, providing for quick transportation around the city and between venues.]]

To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure was expanded. [[Beijing Capital International Airport|Beijing's airport]] underwent a major renovation with the addition of the new Terminal 3, designed by architect [[Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank|Norman Foster]].<ref name="Beijing Terminal 3 by Foster">{{cite news |url=http://www.architectureweek.com/2008/0730/design_1-1.html |title=Beijing Terminal 3 by Foster |author=Jo Baker |work=Architecture Week |access-date=16 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815025557/http://www.architectureweek.com/2008/0730/design_1-1.html |archive-date=15 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Within the city itself, [[Beijing Subway|Beijing's subway]] was doubled in capacity and length, with the addition of seven lines and 80 stations to the previously existing four lines and 64 stations. Included in this expansion was a new link connecting to the city's airport. A fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses, and official cars transported spectators, athletes, and officials between venues.<ref name="Transportation">{{cite news |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/05/25/article214012505.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512000702/http://en.beijing2008.cn/05/25/article214012505.shtml |archive-date=12 May 2008 | title=38 public transit routes to the Olympic venues | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=22 January 2007 | access-date=29 January 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ausmotive.com/2008/08/02/volkswagen-claims-green-medal-at-2008-olympic-games-in-beijing.html |title=Volkswagen claims 'Green' medal at 2008 Olympic Games |author=AUSmotive.com |date=2 August 2008 |access-date=2 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819044237/http://www.ausmotive.com/2008/08/02/volkswagen-claims-green-medal-at-2008-olympic-games-in-beijing.html |archive-date=19 August 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

In an effort to improve air quality, the city placed restrictions on construction sites and gas stations and limited the use of commercial and passenger vehicles in Beijing.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/world/asia/15china.html |title=Traffic Beijing Stops Construction for Olympics |author=Andrew Jacobs |date=14 April 2008 |work=The New York Times |access-date=14 April 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514130722/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/15/world/asia/15china.html |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=live  |author-link=Andrew Jacobs (journalist) }}</ref> From 20 July through 20 September, passenger vehicle restrictions were placed on alternative days depending on the terminal digit of the car's license plate. It was anticipated that this measure would take 45% of Beijing's 3.3&nbsp;million cars off the streets. The boosted public transport network was expected to absorb the demand created by these restrictions and the influx of visitors, which was estimated at more than 4 million additional passengers per day.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/23/2282484.htm?site=olympics/2008 |title=Beijing to launch Olympic 'odd-even' car ban |agency=Reuters |date=23 June 2008 |work=ABC news |access-date=23 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080625095341/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/23/2282484.htm?site=olympics%2F2008 |archive-date=25 June 2008 |url-status=dead  }}</ref>

===Marketing===
{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics marketing}}
[[File:Beijing Birds Nest Olympics track .jpg|thumb|Inside [[Beijing National Stadium]] during the Games. [[Olympic cauldron]] in background.]]

The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem was known as [[Dancing Beijing]]. The emblem combined a traditional Chinese red seal and a representation of the [[Chinese calligraphy|calligraphic]] [[Chinese character|character]] for "capital" ([[wikt:京|京]], also the second character of Beijing's Chinese name) with athletic features. The open arms of the calligraphic word symbolized the invitation from China to the world to share in its culture. [[IOC president]] [[Jacques Rogge]] was rather pleased with the emblem, saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people."<ref name="Message">{{cite news | url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200308/03/eng20030803_121618.shtml | title=Rogge's Message for Beijing Olympics Emblem Unveiling | work=[[People's Daily Online]] | date=3 August 2003 | access-date=19 December 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011140945/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200308/03/eng20030803_121618.shtml | archive-date=11 October 2007 | url-status=live }}</ref>

The official motto for the 2008 Olympics was "''One World, One Dream''" ({{zh|s=同一个世界 同一个梦想|t=|labels=no|c=|p=}}).<ref name="Slogan">{{cite news |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/75/66/article211996675.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080408065343/http://en.beijing2008.cn/75/66/article211996675.shtml |archive-date=8 April 2008 | title='One World One Dream' selected as the Theme Slogan for Beijing 2008 Olympic Games | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=25 December 2005 | access-date=5 May 2007}}</ref> It called upon the whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity, and was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world.<ref>{{cite news|title=New Olympic slogan: One World, One Dream|url=https://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/New-Olympic-slogan-One-World-One-Dream/2005/06/27/1119724547278.html|date=27 April 2005|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=20 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110623145939/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/New-Olympic-slogan-One-World-One-Dream/2005/06/27/1119724547278.html|archive-date=23 June 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> Following the announcement of the motto, the phrase was used by international advocates of [[Tibetan secession]]. Banners reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" were unfurled from various structures around the globe in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, such as from the [[San Francisco]] [[Golden Gate Bridge]] and the [[Sydney Opera House]] in Australia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/13/world/asia/13iht-letter.1.7095421.html|title=Beijing Olympics: Let the politics begin|last=Yardley|first=Jim|date=13 August 2007|access-date=30 November 2012|work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181204153042/https://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/13/world/asia/13iht-letter.1.7095421.html|archive-date=4 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[mascot]]s of Beijing 2008 were the five [[Fuwa]], each of which represented both a color of the [[Olympic flag|Olympic rings]] and a symbol of Chinese culture. In 2006, the [[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] released [[pictogram]]s of 35 Olympic disciplines (however, for some multidiscipline sports such as cycling, a single pictogram was released).<ref name="pictograms">{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/pictograms/ |title=Pictograms of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games |publisher=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] |year=2006 |access-date=22 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822030710/http://en.beijing2008.cn/spirit/beijing2008/graphic/pictograms/ |archive-date=22 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Pictograms2">{{cite news |url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/37/34/article212033437.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308102735/http://en.beijing2008.cn/37/34/article212033437.shtml |archive-date=8 March 2008 | title=Pictograms of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games unveiled | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=7 August 2006 | access-date=12 July 2012}}</ref> This set of sport icons was named ''the beauty of seal characters'', because of each pictogram's likeness to Chinese [[seal script]].<ref name="Pictograms2" />

=== Mascots ===
{{Main|Fuwa}}
The mascots of the 2008 Summer Olympics were the Fuwa, created by Han Meilin ({{lang|zh|韩美林}}). The mascots consisted of Beibei, a fish, Jingjing, a panda, Huanhuan, an Olympic flame, Yingying, a Tibetan antelope, and Nini, a sand martin kite. When their Chinese characters are combined, they form {{lang|zh|北京欢迎你}}, or "Beijing Welcomes You". A year before the Games in 2007, the 100-episode [[The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa]] featuring the mascots, was released.

=== Media coverage ===
{{Further|List of 2008 Summer Olympics broadcasters}}

The 2008 Games were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in [[High-definition television|high definition]] by the host broadcaster.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358070/The-first-high-definition-Olympics.html | work=Telegraph | title=The first high-definition Olympics | date=1 August 2008 | location=London | first=Claudine | last=Beaumont | access-date=4 February 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624120022/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/3358070/The-first-high-definition-Olympics.html | archive-date=24 June 2011 | url-status=live }}</ref> In comparison, American broadcaster [[NBC|NBC broadcast]] only half of the Turin [[2006 Winter Olympics]] in HD.<ref name="BandC">{{cite news|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/99656-Beijing_Olympics_NBC_s_Multiplatform_Push.php |title=Network goes to great lengths to pump Beijing Olympic Games action to myriad pipes. |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date=4 August 2008 |access-date=17 August 2008 |last=Dickson |first=Glen |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214054812/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/99656-Beijing_Olympics_NBC_s_Multiplatform_Push.php |archive-date=14 December 2009 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref name="HDTV">{{cite news |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2008/2007-07/06/content_911825.htm |title=Seeing clearly: Panasonic ushers in first HDTV Game |work=China Daily |date=6 July 2007 |access-date=24 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617110906/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/2008/2007-07/06/content_911825.htm |archive-date=17 June 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> In their bid for the Olympic Games in 2001, Beijing stated to the Olympic Evaluation Commission that there would be "no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including the Olympic Games."<ref>{{cite web|title=Report of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 2008 |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_299.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031229012633/http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_299.pdf |archive-date=29 December 2003 |access-date=10 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, some media outlets claimed that organizers ultimately failed to live up to this commitment.{{efn|''[[The New York Times]]'', for instance, said that "those promises have been contradicted by strict visa rules, lengthy application processes and worries about censorship."<ref name="Networks Fight">{{cite news|last=Stelter |first=Brian |title=Networks Fight Shorter Olympic Leash |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/sports/olympics/21nbc.html |work=The New York Times |date=21 July 2008 |access-date=21 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813155823/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/sports/olympics/21nbc.html |archive-date=13 August 2011 |url-status=live  }}</ref>}}

According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.7&nbsp;billion viewers worldwide tuned in to some of the television coverage, one-fifth larger than the 3.9&nbsp;billion who watched the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.  American broadcaster NBC produced only two hours of online streaming video for the 2006 Winter Games but produced approximately 2,200&nbsp;hours of coverage for the 2008 Summer Games. [[CNN]] reported that, for the first time, "live online video rights in some markets for the Olympics have been separately negotiated, not part of the overall 'broadcast rights.'" The new media of the [[digital economy]] was said to be growing "nine times faster than the rest of the advertising market."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/09/oly.media/index.html |title=Olympics enter the '2.0' era |access-date=25 August 2008 |date=10 July 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080908023843/http://www3.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/09/oly.media/index.html |archive-date=8 September 2008 |url-status=live |work=CNN  }}</ref>
[[File:2008 Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony 11.jpg|thumb|US President [[George W. Bush]] at the 2008 Summer Olympics]]
The international [[European Broadcasting Union]] (EBU) provided live coverage and highlights of all arenas only for certain territories on their website, Eurovisionsports.tv.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics/geoerror/geoerror.html |title=Beijing LIVE |access-date=25 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822214328/http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics/geoerror/geoerror.html |archive-date=22 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Many national broadcasters likewise restricted the viewing of online events to their domestic audiences.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/cycling/7552544.stm |title=Delighted Cooke gets gold medal |date=10 August 2008 |access-date=25 August 2008 |work=BBC News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080815105838/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/cycling/7552544.stm |archive-date=15 August 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> The General National Copyright Administration of China announced that "individual (''sic'') and websites will face fines as high as 100,000 [[Chinese yuan|yuan]] for uploading recordings of Olympic Games video to the internet",<ref>{{cite web |last=Wallace |first=Lydia |url=http://www.danwei.org/2008_beijing_olympic_games/china_copywrites_the_olympics.php |title=100,000 yuan fine for uploading Olympic videos? |publisher=Danwei.org |access-date=29 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611063147/http://www.danwei.org/2008_beijing_olympic_games/china_copywrites_the_olympics.php |archive-date=11 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> part of an extensive campaign to protect the pertinent intellectual property rights.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://olympics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/for-olympics-china-ramps-up-copyright-infringement-campaign/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080623054529/http://olympics.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/16/for-olympics-china-ramps-up-copyright-infringement-campaign/ |archive-date=23 June 2008 |work=The New York Times |title=For Olympics, China Ramps Up Copyright Infringement Campaign – Rings Blog|access-date=4 February 2011 |first=Campbell |last=Robertson |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-06/13/content_8359170.htm | script-title=zh:我国启动打击网络侵权盗版专项行动 为期四个月 | publisher=News.xinhuanet.com | access-date=29 November 2010 | language=zh | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110821182530/http://news.xinhuanet.com/newmedia/2008-06/13/content_8359170.htm | archive-date=21 August 2011 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The Olympic Committee also set up a separate YouTube channel at Beijing 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/beijing2008#p/a/u/0/uuU-AXa3tYo|title=beijing2008|work=YouTube|access-date=12 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130630105117/http://www.youtube.com/beijing2008#p/a/u/0/uuU-AXa3tYo|archive-date=30 June 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Theme song ===
The theme song of the 2008 Summer Olympics was [[You and Me (Olympic theme song)|"You and Me"]], which was composed by [[Chen Qigang]], the musical director of the opening ceremony. It was performed during the opening ceremony by Chinese singer [[Liu Huan]] and British singer [[Sarah Brightman]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 August 2008 |title=刘欢莎拉布莱曼演唱奥运会主题歌《我和你》 |url=http://2008.163.com/08/0808/21/4IRR3I6U00742QDT.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221534/http://2008.163.com/08/0808/21/4IRR3I6U00742QDT.html |archive-date=4 March 2016 |access-date=9 September 2024 |website=The 2008 Olympic Report}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044498/beijing-ceremony-introduces-olympic-theme-song|title=Beijing Ceremony Introduces Olympic Theme Song|date=8 August 2008|via=Billboard|access-date=14 December 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208234251/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044498/beijing-ceremony-introduces-olympic-theme-song|archive-date=8 December 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The theme song was originally going to be a song called "So much love, so far away (Tanto amor, tan lejos)" written by Cuban singer-songwriter [[Jon Secada]] and Peruvian singer-songwriter [[Gian Marco]] under production from Cuban producer [[Emilio Estefan Jr.]] from [[EMI]].<ref name="Sonido">{{cite news|title=El Sonido De Miami|newspaper=[[El Nuevo Herald]]|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/670743480/?terms=%22gian%20marco%22&match=1|url-access=subscription|page=29|date=7 August 2001}}</ref>

== Torch relay ==
[[File:Official 2008 Summer Olympics Torch in Vilnius.jpg|thumb|2008 Olympic Torch in [[Vilnius]], Lithuania]]

{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics torch relay|2008 Summer Olympics torch relay route}}

The design of the 2008 [[Olympic Torch]] was based on traditional scrolls and used a traditional Chinese design known as the "Propitious Clouds" (祥云). The torch was designed to remain lit in 65&nbsp;km/h (40&nbsp;mph) winds, and in rain of up to 50&nbsp;mm (2&nbsp;in) per hour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/news/headlines/image07/s214233067/n214233090.shtml | title=The Image and Look – The Torch | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=16 January 2008 | access-date=24 October 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514013509/http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/news/headlines/image07/s214233067/n214233090.shtml | archive-date=14 May 2013}}</ref>

The relay, with the theme "Journey of Harmony", was met with protests and demonstrations by pro-Tibet supporters throughout its journey. It lasted 130&nbsp;days and carried the torch {{convert|137000|km|mi|abbr=on}}—the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition began at the [[1936 Berlin Games]].<ref name="IOC torch">{{cite news|date=26 April 2007 |title=Beijing 2008: BOCOG Announces Olympic Torch Relay Route |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2147 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070429032528/http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2147 |archive-date=29 April 2007 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=26 April 2007 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/world/09torch.html | title=Officials Expect Olympic Torch to Continue on Route | work=The New York Times | first1=Graham | last1=Bowley | first2=John | last2=Sullivan | date=9 April 2008 | access-date=4 February 2011 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004104046/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/world/09torch.html | archive-date=4 October 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> The torch relay was described as a "public relations disaster" for China by ''[[USA Today]]'',<ref name="Public Relations Disaster">{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-04-29-torch-vietnam_N.htm|title=Vietnamese cheer torch, last int'l stop|date=29 April 2008|access-date=20 June 2009|work=USA Today|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090707031454/http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-04-29-torch-vietnam_N.htm|archive-date=7 July 2009|url-status=live}}</ref> with protests against China's human rights record, particularly focused on [[2008 Tibetan unrest|Tibet]]. The IOC subsequently barred future Olympics organizers from staging international torch relays.<ref>{{cite news|last=Zinser |first=Lynn |title=I.O.C. Bars International Torch Relays |work=The New York Times |date=27 March 2009 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/sports/othersports/28torch.html |access-date=28 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130514135658/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/28/sports/othersports/28torch.html |archive-date=14 May 2013 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

The relay began 24 March 2008, in [[Olympia, Greece]]. From there, it traveled across Greece to [[Panathinaiko Stadium]] in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on 31 March. From Beijing, the torch followed a route passing through every continent except [[Antarctica]]. The torch visited cities on the [[Silk Road]], symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. A total of 21,880 torchbearers were selected from around the world by various organizations and entities.<ref name="BOCOG relay">{{cite news |url=http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/news/headlines/n214042288.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308103032/http://torchrelay.beijing2008.cn/en/news/headlines/n214042288.shtml |archive-date=8 March 2008 | title=Beijing 2008 Olympic Torch Relay Planned Route and Torch Design unveiled | work=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] | date=26 April 2007 | access-date=26 April 2007}}</ref>

The international portion of the relay was problematic. The month-long world tour encountered wide-scale anti-Chinese protests. After trouble in London involving attempts by protesters to put out the flame, the torch was extinguished in Paris the following day.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584227/Olympic-torch-extinguished-three-times.html| title=Olympic torch extinguished three times| access-date=20 June 2009| work=The Daily Telegraph| location=London| last=Samuel| first=Henry| date=7 April 2008| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090318064100/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1584227/Olympic-torch-extinguished-three-times.html| archive-date=18 March 2009| url-status=live}}</ref> The American leg in San Francisco on 9 April was altered without prior warning to avoid such disturbances, although there were still demonstrations along the original route.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7339380.stm|title=Confusion strikes US torch relay|date=9 April 2008|work=BBC News|access-date=4 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110712212724/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7339380.stm|archive-date=12 July 2011|url-status=live}}</ref> The relay was further delayed and simplified after the [[2008 Sichuan earthquake]] hit [[western China]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/olympics/news/story?id=3445844|publisher=ESPN|title=Organizers not saying why torch's arrival in Tibet delayed|date=16 June 2006|access-date=20 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106194508/http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/news/story?id=3445844|archive-date=6 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>
[[File:Beijing 2008 Torch Relay Route.png|left|thumb|Route of the 2008 Olympic Torch Relay]]

The flame was [[2008 Summer Olympics summit of Mt. Everest|carried to the top of Mount Everest]]<ref name="BOCOG relay" /> on a {{convert|108|km|mi|abbr=on}} long "highway" scaling the Tibetan side of the mountain, built especially for the relay. The $19.7&nbsp;million blacktop project spanned from [[Tingri County]] of [[Xigazê Prefecture]] to the [[Everest Base Camp]].<ref name="Everest road">{{cite news |url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200706200340.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080111221824/http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200706200340.htm |archive-date=11 January 2008 |title=China to build highway on Mt Everest for 2008 Olympics |date=20 June 2007 |access-date=25 June 2007 |work=The Hindu |location=India}}</ref> In March 2008, China banned mountaineers from climbing its side of Mount Everest, and later persuaded the Nepalese government to close their side as well, officially citing environmental concerns.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/climbers-banned-from-everest-as-china-seeks-to-stop-protests-on-summit-796782.html |title=Climbers banned from Everest as China seeks to stop protests on summit |date=17 March 2008 |access-date=23 March 2008 |work=The Independent |location=London |first1=Michael |last1=McCarthy |first2=Jack |last2=Geldard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080405092649/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/climbers-banned-from-everest-as-china-seeks-to-stop-protests-on-summit-796782.html |archive-date= 5 April 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It also reflected concerns by the Chinese government that Tibet activists might try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak.<ref name="cnn13mar08">{{cite news | url=http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/20/nepal.torch.oly/index.html | title=Nepal: Everest pro-Tibet protesters may be shot | work=[[CNN]] | date=20 April 2008 | access-date=20 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100307231244/http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/04/20/nepal.torch.oly/index.html | archive-date=7 March 2010 | url-status=live }}</ref>

The originally proposed route would have taken the torch through [[Taipei]] after leaving [[Vietnam]] and before heading for Hong Kong. However, the government of [[Taiwan]] (then led by the [[Taiwan independence|independence]]-leaning [[Democratic Progressive Party]]) objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make the portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route.<ref name="Taiwan relay">{{cite news |url=http://taiwanjournal.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=24170&CtNode=122 | title=Taiwan rejects 'domestic' Olympic torch route | work=[[Taiwan Journal]] | date=4 May 2007 | access-date=15 August 2007 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080411165900/http://taiwanjournal.nat.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=24170&CtNode=122 | archive-date=11 April 2008}}</ref> This dispute, as well as Chinese demands that the [[flag of the Republic of China|flag]] and the [[National Anthem of the Republic of China|national anthem of the Republic of China]] be banned along the route led the government of Taiwan to reject the proposal that it be part of the relay route. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics into the event.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7005984.stm | title=Olympic torch will bypass Taiwan | work=[[BBC News]] | date=21 September 2007 | access-date=20 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930022455/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7005984.stm | archive-date=30 September 2009 | url-status=live }}</ref>

== The Games ==
{{Further|Chronological summary of the 2008 Summer Olympics}}

=== Participating National Olympic Committees ===
[[File:2008 Summer Olympic games countries.svg|thumb|center|upright=2.8|Participating nations<br /><span style="color:#1e90ff;">Blue</span> = Participating for the first time.
<span style="color:#00ff7f;">Green</span> = Have previously participated.
Yellow square is host city ([[Beijing]])]]
[[File:2008 Summer olympics team numbers.gif|thumb|center|upright=2.8|Team sizes]]

All but one of the 205 recognized [[National Olympic Committee]]s (NOCs) that existed {{as of|2008|lc=y}}  participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the exception being [[Brunei at the Olympics|Brunei]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/noc/index_uk.asp |title=National Olympic Committees |publisher=International Olympic Committee |access-date=11 March 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174713/https://www.olympic.org/uk/organisation/noc/index_uk.asp%20 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Three countries participated in the Olympic Games for their first time: the [[Marshall Islands]], [[Montenegro]] and [[Tuvalu]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Beijing 2008 |work=Olympic Games |publisher=International Olympic Committee |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=2008 |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526073745/http://www.olympic.org/uk/games/past/index_uk.asp?OLGT=1&OLGY=2008 |archive-date=26 May 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

While not a full member recognized by the IOC and thus not allowed to compete formally in the Olympics, the [[Macau Sports and Olympic Committee]] sent a delegation to participate in the [[Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008]], being the only unrecognized [[National Olympic Committee]] to have taken part in the 2008 Summer Olympics. It also coordinated efforts with the [[Chinese Olympic Committee]] to organize the torch relay through Macau.

The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and 2008 was the first Games in which they were eligible to participate.<ref name="Tuvalu">{{cite news |title=Robert Meets IOC President |url=http://www.oceaniasport.com/tuvalu/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051018032511/http://www.oceaniasport.com/tuvalu/ |archive-date=18 October 2005 |publisher=[[ONOC]] |date=2 April 2005 |access-date=17 December 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="New NOCs accepted">{{cite news|url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2237 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071112130845/http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2237 |archive-date=12 November 2007 |title=Two new National Olympic Committees on board! |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |date=6 July 2007 |access-date=8 July 2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The states of [[Serbia]] and [[Montenegro]], which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as [[Serbia and Montenegro]], competed separately for the first time since Serbia last participated in [[1912 Summer Olympics|1912]]. Montenegro made its debut appearance, as the Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007.<ref name="New NOCs accepted" /> Neighboring [[Kosovo]], however, did not participate. After the declaration of independence in Kosovo, the IOC specified requirements that Kosovo needs to meet before being recognized by the IOC; most notably, it has to be recognized as independent by the [[United Nations]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=4306795 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205124500/https://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=4306795 |archive-date=5 February 2009 |title=IOC: Kosovo Olympic Team 'Unlikely' |agency=Associated Press |date=18 February 2008 |access-date=20 February 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref name="USOC Delegation">{{cite web|title=2008 United States Olympic Team Entered Into XXVIV Olympic Games in Beijing, China |publisher=United States Olympic Committee |date=24 July 2008 |url=http://teamusa.org/news/article/2744 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090503065123/http://teamusa.org/news/article/2744 |archive-date= 3 May 2009 |access-date=15 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Host China announces biggest-ever Olympic team of 639 athletes |publisher=Xinhua News |date=25 July 2008 |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/25/content_8767561.htm |access-date=28 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907021534/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/25/content_8767561.htm |archive-date=7 September 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, it has since been recognised by the IOC in 2014 without fulfilling these criteria and made its debut in the [[2016 Summer Olympic Games|2016 games]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-grants-provisional-recognition-to-kosovo-olympic-committee|title = IOC grants provisional recognition to Kosovo Olympic Committee|date = 13 July 2021}}</ref>

More than 100 sovereigns, heads of state and heads of government as well as 170 Ministers of Sport attended the Beijing Olympic Games.<ref>{{cite web|title=IOC President to meet with world leaders |url=http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2698 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907020146/http://www.olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=2698 |archive-date=7 September 2008 |url-status=live |access-date=9 September 2009 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:100%;"
|-
! Participating [[:Category:Nations at the 2008 Summer Olympics|National Olympic Committees]]
|-
|
{{div col|colwidth=18em}}
* {{flagIOC|AFG|2008 Summer|4 athletes}}
* {{flagIOC|ALB|2008 Summer|11}}
* {{flagIOC|ALG|2008 Summer|56}}
* {{flagIOC|ASA|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|AND|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|ANG|2008 Summer|32}}
* {{flagIOC|ANT|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|ARG|2008 Summer|132}}
* {{flagIOC|ARM|2008 Summer|25}}
* {{flagIOC|ARU|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|AUS|2008 Summer|432}}
* {{flagIOC|AUT|2008 Summer|70}}
* {{flagIOC|AZE|2008 Summer|44}}
* {{flagIOC|BAH|2008 Summer|25}}
* {{flagIOC|BRN|2008 Summer|14}}
* {{flagIOC|BAN|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|BAR|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|BLR|2008 Summer|177}}
* {{flagIOC|BEL|2008 Summer|94}}
* {{flagIOC|BIZ|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|BEN|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|BER|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|BHU|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|BOL|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|BIH|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|BOT|2008 Summer|11}}
* {{flagIOC|BRA|2008 Summer|268}}
* {{flagIOC|IVB|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|BUL|2008 Summer|70}}
* {{flagIOC|BUR|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|BDI|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|CAM|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|CMR|2008 Summer|32}}
* {{flagIOC|CAN|2008 Summer|332}}
* {{flagIOC|CPV|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|CAY|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|CAF|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|CHA|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|CHI|2008 Summer|26}}
* {{flagIOC|CHN|2008 Summer|599}} '''(host)'''
* {{flagIOC|COL|2008 Summer|67}}
* {{flagIOC|COM|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|CGO|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|COD|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|COK|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|CRC|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|CRO|2008 Summer|99}}
* {{flagIOC|CUB|2008 Summer|158}}
* {{flagIOC|CYP|2008 Summer|17}}
* {{flagIOC|CZE|2008 Summer|134}}
* {{flagIOC|DEN|2008 Summer|84}}
* {{flagIOC|DJI|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|DMA|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|DOM|2008 Summer|24}}
* {{flagIOC|ECU|2008 Summer|25}}
* {{flagIOC|EGY|2008 Summer|100}}
* {{flagIOC|ESA|2008 Summer|11}}
* {{flagIOC|GEQ|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|ERI|2008 Summer|10}}
* {{flagIOC|EST|2008 Summer|47}}
* {{flagIOC|ETH|2008 Summer|27}}
* {{flagIOC|FIJ|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|FIN|2008 Summer|57}}
* {{flagIOC|FRA|2008 Summer|309}}
* {{flagIOC|GAB|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|GAM|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|GEO|2008 Summer|35}}
* {{flagIOC|GER|2008 Summer|420}}
* {{flagIOC|GHA|2008 Summer|9}}
* {{flagIOC|GBR|2008 Summer|304}}
* {{flagIOC|GRE|2008 Summer|152}}
* {{flagIOC|GRN|2008 Summer|9}}
* {{flagIOC|GUM|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|GUA|2008 Summer|12}}
* {{flagIOC|GUI|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|GBS|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|GUY|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|HAI|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|HON|2008 Summer|25}}
* {{flagIOC|HKG|2008 Summer|34}}
* {{flagIOC|HUN|2008 Summer|171}}
* {{flagIOC|ISL|2008 Summer|27}}
* {{flagIOC|IND|2008 Summer|53}}
* {{flagIOC|INA|2008 Summer|24}}
* {{flagIOC|IRI|2008 Summer|54}}
* {{flagIOC|IRQ|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|IRL|2008 Summer|55}}
* {{flagIOC|ISR|2008 Summer|43}}
* {{flagIOC|ITA|2008 Summer|333}}
* {{flagIOC|CIV|2008 Summer|21}}
* {{flagIOC|JAM|2008 Summer|50}}
* {{flagIOC|JPN|2008 Summer|332}}
* {{flagIOC|JOR|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|KAZ|2008 Summer|130}}
* {{flagIOC|KEN|2008 Summer|46}}
* {{flagIOC|KIR|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|PRK|2008 Summer|58}}
* {{flagIOC|KOR|2008 Summer|265}}
* {{flagIOC|KUW|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|KGZ|2008 Summer|20}}
* {{flagIOC|LAO|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|LAT|2008 Summer|47}}
* {{flagIOC|LIB|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|LES|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|LBR|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|LBA|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|LIE|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|LTU|2008 Summer|71}}
* {{flagIOC|LUX|2008 Summer|13}}
* {{flagIOC|MKD|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|MAD|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|MAW|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|MAS|2008 Summer|32}}
* {{flagIOC|MDV|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|MLI|2008 Summer|17}}
* {{flagIOC|MLT|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|MHL|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|MTN|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|MRI|2008 Summer|11}}
* {{flagIOC|MEX|2008 Summer|83}}
* {{flagIOC|FSM|2008 Summer|5|name=Micronesia}}
* {{flagIOC|MDA|2008 Summer|29}}
* {{flagIOC|MON|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|MGL|2008 Summer|28}}
* {{flagIOC|MNE|2008 Summer|19}}
* {{flagIOC|MAR|2008 Summer|47}}
* {{flagIOC|MOZ|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|MYA|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|NAM|2008 Summer|10}}
* {{flagIOC|NRU|2008 Summer|1}}
* {{flagIOC|NEP|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|NED|2008 Summer|237}}
* {{flagIOC|AHO|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|NZL|2008 Summer|178}}
* {{flagIOC|NCA|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|NIG|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|NGR|2008 Summer|74}}
* {{flagIOC|NOR|2008 Summer|84}}
* {{flagIOC|OMA|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|PAK|2008 Summer|21}}
* {{flagIOC|PLW|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|PLE|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|PAN|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|PNG|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|PAR|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|PER|2008 Summer|13}}
* {{flagIOC|PHI|2008 Summer|15}}
* {{flagIOC|POL|2008 Summer|257}}
* {{flagIOC|POR|2008 Summer|77}}
* {{flagIOC|PUR|2008 Summer|22}}
* {{flagIOC|QAT|2008 Summer|20}}
* {{flagIOC|ROU|2008 Summer|101}}
* {{flagIOC|RUS|2008 Summer|454}}
* {{flagIOC|RWA|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|SKN|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|LCA|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|VIN|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|SAM|2008 Summer|6}}
* {{flagIOC|SMR|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|STP|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|KSA|2008 Summer|14}}
* {{flagIOC|SEN|2008 Summer|15}}
* {{flagIOC|SRB|2008 Summer|87}}
* {{flagIOC|SEY|2008 Summer|9}}
* {{flagIOC|SLE|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|SIN|2008 Summer|25}}
* {{flagIOC|SVK|2008 Summer|57}}
* {{flagIOC|SLO|2008 Summer|61}}
* {{flagIOC|SOL|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|SOM|2008 Summer|2}}
* {{flagIOC|RSA|2008 Summer|134}}
* {{flagIOC|ESP|2008 Summer|283}}
* {{flagIOC|SRI|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|SUD|2008 Summer|9}}
* {{flagIOC|SUR|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|SWZ|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|SWE|2008 Summer|123}}
* {{flagIOC|SUI|2008 Summer|83}}
* {{flagIOC|SYR|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|TPE|2008 Summer|79}}
* {{flagIOC|TJK|2008 Summer|15}}
* {{flagIOC|TAN|2008 Summer|9}}
* {{flagIOC|THA|2008 Summer|47}}
* {{flagIOC|TLS|2008 Summer|1}}
* {{flagIOC|TOG|2008 Summer|4}}
* {{flagIOC|TGA|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|TRI|2008 Summer|28}}
* {{flagIOC|TUN|2008 Summer|26}}
* {{flagIOC|TUR|2008 Summer|67}}
* {{flagIOC|TKM|2008 Summer|10}}
* {{flagIOC|TUV|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|UGA|2008 Summer|11}}
* {{flagIOC|UKR|2008 Summer|243}}
* {{flagIOC|UAE|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|USA|2008 Summer|588}}
* {{flagIOC|URU|2008 Summer|12}}
* {{flagIOC|UZB|2008 Summer|56}}
* {{flagIOC|VAN|2008 Summer|3}}
* {{flagIOC|VEN|2008 Summer|108}}
* {{flagIOC|VIE|2008 Summer|13}}
* {{flagIOC|ISV|2008 Summer|7}}
* {{flagIOC|YEM|2008 Summer|5}}
* {{flagIOC|ZAM|2008 Summer|8}}
* {{flagIOC|ZIM|2008 Summer|13}}
{{div col end}}
|}

=== Number of athletes by National Olympic Committees ===
{| class="wikitable collapsible collapsed sortable"
!IOC Letter Code
!Country 
!Athletes
|-
| CHN || {{flagIOC|CHN|2008 Summer}} || 599
|-
| USA || {{flagIOC|USA|2008 Summer}} || 588
|-
| RUS || {{flagIOC|RUS|2008 Summer}} || 467
|-
| GER || {{flagIOC|GER|2008 Summer}} || 463
|-
| AUS || {{flagIOC|AUS|2008 Summer}} || 433
|-
| ITA || {{flagIOC|ITA|2008 Summer}} || 333
|-
| CAN || {{flagIOC|CAN|2008 Summer}} || 332
|-
| JPN || {{flagIOC|JPN|2008 Summer}} || 332
|-
| FRA || {{flagIOC|FRA|2008 Summer}} || 323
|-
| GBR || {{flagIOC|GBR|2008 Summer}} || 312
|-
| ESP || {{flagIOC|ESP|2008 Summer}} || 283
|-
| BRA || {{flagIOC|BRA|2008 Summer}} || 268
|-
| KOR || {{flagIOC|KOR|2008 Summer}} || 265
|-
| POL || {{flagIOC|POL|2008 Summer}} || 257
|-
| UKR || {{flagIOC|UKR|2008 Summer}} || 243
|-
| NED || {{flagIOC|NED|2008 Summer}} || 237
|-
| NZL || {{flagIOC|NZL|2008 Summer}} || 178
|-
| BLR || {{flagIOC|BLR|2008 Summer}} || 177
|-
| HUN || {{flagIOC|HUN|2008 Summer}} || 171
|-
| CUB || {{flagIOC|CUB|2008 Summer}} || 158
|-
| GRE || {{flagIOC|GRE|2008 Summer}} || 152
|-
| CZE || {{flagIOC|CZE|2008 Summer}} || 134
|-
| RSA || {{flagIOC|RSA|2008 Summer}} || 134
|-
| ARG || {{flagIOC|ARG|2008 Summer}} || 132
|-
| KAZ || {{flagIOC|KAZ|2008 Summer}} || 130
|-
| SWE || {{flagIOC|SWE|2008 Summer}} || 123
|-
| VEN || {{flagIOC|VEN|2008 Summer}} || 108
|-
| ROU || {{flagIOC|ROU|2008 Summer}} || 101
|-
| EGY || {{flagIOC|EGY|2008 Summer}} || 100
|-
| CRO || {{flagIOC|CRO|2008 Summer}} || 99
|-
| BEL || {{flagIOC|BEL|2008 Summer}} || 94
|-
| SRB || {{flagIOC|SRB|2008 Summer}} || 87
|-
| DEN || {{flagIOC|DEN|2008 Summer}} || 84
|-
| NOR || {{flagIOC|NOR|2008 Summer}} || 84
|-
| MEX || {{flagIOC|MEX|2008 Summer}} || 83
|-
| SUI || {{flagIOC|SUI|2008 Summer}} || 83
|-
| TPE || {{flagIOC|TPE|2008 Summer}} || 79
|-
| POR || {{flagIOC|POR|2008 Summer}} || 77
|-
| NGR || {{flagIOC|NGR|2008 Summer}} || 74
|-
| LTU || {{flagIOC|LTU|2008 Summer}} || 71
|-
| AUT || {{flagIOC|AUT|2008 Summer}} || 70
|-
| BUL || {{flagIOC|BUL|2008 Summer}} || 70
|-
| COL || {{flagIOC|COL|2008 Summer}} || 67
|-
| TUR || {{flagIOC|TUR|2008 Summer}} || 67
|-
| SLO || {{flagIOC|SLO|2008 Summer}} || 61
|-
| PRK || {{flagIOC|PRK|2008 Summer}} || 58
|-
| FIN || {{flagIOC|FIN|2008 Summer}} || 57
|-
| SVK || {{flagIOC|SVK|2008 Summer}} || 57
|-
| ALG || {{flagIOC|ALG|2008 Summer}} || 56
|-
| UZB || {{flagIOC|UZB|2008 Summer}} || 56
|-
| IRL || {{flagIOC|IRL|2008 Summer}} || 55
|-
| IRI || {{flagIOC|IRI|2008 Summer}} || 54
|-
| IND || {{flagIOC|IND|2008 Summer}} || 53
|-
| JAM || {{flagIOC|JAM|2008 Summer}} || 50
|-
| EST || {{flagIOC|EST|2008 Summer}} || 47
|-
| LAT || {{flagIOC|LAT|2008 Summer}} || 47
|-
| MAR || {{flagIOC|MAR|2008 Summer}} || 47
|-
| THA || {{flagIOC|THA|2008 Summer}} || 47
|-
| KEN || {{flagIOC|KEN|2008 Summer}} || 46
|-
| AZE || {{flagIOC|AZE|2008 Summer}} || 44
|-
| ISR || {{flagIOC|ISR|2008 Summer}} || 43
|-
| GEO || {{flagIOC|GEO|2008 Summer}} || 35
|-
| HKG || {{flagIOC|HKG|2008 Summer}} || 34
|-
| ANG || {{flagIOC|ANG|2008 Summer}} || 32
|-
| CMR || {{flagIOC|CMR|2008 Summer}} || 32
|-
| MAS || {{flagIOC|MAS|2008 Summer}} || 32
|-
| MDA || {{flagIOC|MDA|2008 Summer}} || 29
|-
| MGL || {{flagIOC|MGL|2008 Summer}} || 28
|-
| TRI || {{flagIOC|TRI|2008 Summer}} || 28
|-
| ETH || {{flagIOC|ETH|2008 Summer}} || 27
|-
| ISL || {{flagIOC|ISL|2008 Summer}} || 27
|-
| CHI || {{flagIOC|CHI|2008 Summer}} || 26
|-
| TUN || {{flagIOC|TUN|2008 Summer}} || 26
|-
| ARM || {{flagIOC|ARM|2008 Summer}} || 25
|-
| BAH || {{flagIOC|BAH|2008 Summer}} || 25
|-
| ECU || {{flagIOC|ECU|2008 Summer}} || 25
|-
| HON || {{flagIOC|HON|2008 Summer}} || 25
|-
| SIN || {{flagIOC|SIN|2008 Summer}} || 25
|-
| DOM || {{flagIOC|DOM|2008 Summer}} || 24
|-
| INA || {{flagIOC|INA|2008 Summer}} || 24
|-
| PUR || {{flagIOC|PUR|2008 Summer}} || 22
|-
| CIV || {{flagIOC|CIV|2008 Summer}} || 21
|-
| PAK || {{flagIOC|PAK|2008 Summer}} || 21
|-
| KGZ || {{flagIOC|KGZ|2008 Summer}} || 20
|-
| QAT || {{flagIOC|QAT|2008 Summer}} || 20
|-
| MNE || {{flagIOC|MNE|2008 Summer}} || 19
|-
| CYP || {{flagIOC|CYP|2008 Summer}} || 17
|-
| MLI || {{flagIOC|MLI|2008 Summer}} || 17
|-
| PHI || {{flagIOC|PHI|2008 Summer}} || 15
|-
| SEN || {{flagIOC|SEN|2008 Summer}} || 15
|-
| TJK || {{flagIOC|TJK|2008 Summer}} || 15
|-
| BRN || {{flagIOC|BRN|2008 Summer}} || 14
|-
| KSA || {{flagIOC|KSA|2008 Summer}} || 14
|-
| LUX || {{flagIOC|LUX|2008 Summer}} || 13
|-
| PER || {{flagIOC|PER|2008 Summer}} || 13
|-
| VIE || {{flagIOC|VIE|2008 Summer}} || 13
|-
| ZIM || {{flagIOC|ZIM|2008 Summer}} || 13
|-
| GUA || {{flagIOC|GUA|2008 Summer}} || 12
|-
| URU || {{flagIOC|URU|2008 Summer}} || 12
|-
| ALB || {{flagIOC|ALB|2008 Summer}} || 11
|-
| BOT || {{flagIOC|BOT|2008 Summer}} || 11
|-
| ESA || {{flagIOC|ESA|2008 Summer}} || 11
|-
| MRI || {{flagIOC|MRI|2008 Summer}} || 11
|-
| UGA || {{flagIOC|UGA|2008 Summer}} || 11
|-
| ERI || {{flagIOC|ERI|2008 Summer}} || 10
|-
| NAM || {{flagIOC|NAM|2008 Summer}} || 10
|-
| TKM || {{flagIOC|TKM|2008 Summer}} || 10
|-
| GHA || {{flagIOC|GHA|2008 Summer}} || 9
|-
| GRN || {{flagIOC|GRN|2008 Summer}} || 9
|-
| SEY || {{flagIOC|SEY|2008 Summer}} || 9
|-
| SUD || {{flagIOC|SUD|2008 Summer}} || 9
|-
| TAN || {{flagIOC|TAN|2008 Summer}} || 9
|-
| BAR || {{flagIOC|BAR|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| CRC || {{flagIOC|CRC|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| KUW || {{flagIOC|KUW|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| NEP || {{flagIOC|NEP|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| SRI || {{flagIOC|SRI|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| UAE || {{flagIOC|UAE|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| ZAM || {{flagIOC|ZAM|2008 Summer}} || 8
|-
| BOL || {{flagIOC|BOL|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| HAI || {{flagIOC|HAI|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| JOR || {{flagIOC|JOR|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| MKD || {{flagIOC|MKD|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| PNG || {{flagIOC|PNG|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| PAR || {{flagIOC|PAR|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| SYR || {{flagIOC|SYR|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| ISV || {{flagIOC|ISV|2008 Summer}} || 7
|-
| BER || {{flagIOC|BER|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| BUR || {{flagIOC|BUR|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| FIJ || {{flagIOC|FIJ|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| GUM || {{flagIOC|GUM|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| LIB || {{flagIOC|LIB|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| LBA || {{flagIOC|LBA|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| MAD || {{flagIOC|MAD|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| MLT || {{flagIOC|MLT|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| MYA || {{flagIOC|MYA|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| NCA || {{flagIOC|NCA|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| SAM || {{flagIOC|SAM|2008 Summer}} || 6
|-
| AND || {{flagIOC|AND|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| ANT || {{flagIOC|ANT|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| BAN || {{flagIOC|BAN|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| BEN || {{flagIOC|BEN|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| BIH || {{flagIOC|BIH|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| CGO || {{flagIOC|CGO|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| COD || {{flagIOC|COD|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| GUI || {{flagIOC|GUI|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| LES || {{flagIOC|LES|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| MHL || {{flagIOC|MHL|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| FSM || {{flagIOC|FSM|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| MON || {{flagIOC|MON|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| PLW || {{flagIOC|PLW|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| PAN || {{flagIOC|PAN|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| YEM || {{flagIOC|YEM|2008 Summer}} || 5
|-
| AFG || {{flagIOC|AFG|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| ASA || {{flagIOC|ASA|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| BIZ || {{flagIOC|BIZ|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| CAM || {{flagIOC|CAM|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| CAY || {{flagIOC|CAY|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| COK || {{flagIOC|COK|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| GAB || {{flagIOC|GAB|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| GUY || {{flagIOC|GUY|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| IRQ || {{flagIOC|IRQ|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| LAO || {{flagIOC|LAO|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| MAW || {{flagIOC|MAW|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| MDV || {{flagIOC|MDV|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| MOZ || {{flagIOC|MOZ|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| NIG || {{flagIOC|NIG|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| OMA || {{flagIOC|OMA|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| PLE || {{flagIOC|PLE|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| RWA || {{flagIOC|RWA|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| SKN || {{flagIOC|SKN|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| LCA || {{flagIOC|LCA|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| SMR || {{flagIOC|SMR|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| SUR || {{flagIOC|SUR|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| SWZ || {{flagIOC|SWZ|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| TOG || {{flagIOC|TOG|2008 Summer}} || 4
|-
| BDI || {{flagIOC|BDI|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| CAF || {{flagIOC|CAF|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| COM || {{flagIOC|COM|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| GEQ || {{flagIOC|GEQ|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| GAM || {{flagIOC|GAM|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| GBS || {{flagIOC|GBS|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| LBR || {{flagIOC|LBR|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| AHO || {{flagIOC|AHO|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| STP || {{flagIOC|STP|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| SLE || {{flagIOC|SLE|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| SOL || {{flagIOC|SOL|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| TGA || {{flagIOC|TGA|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| TUV || {{flagIOC|TUV|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| VAN || {{flagIOC|VAN|2008 Summer}} || 3
|-
| ARU || {{flagIOC|ARU|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| BHU || {{flagIOC|BHU|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| IVB || {{flagIOC|IVB|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| CPV || {{flagIOC|CPV|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| CHA || {{flagIOC|CHA|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| DJI || {{flagIOC|DJI|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| DMA || {{flagIOC|DMA|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| KIR || {{flagIOC|KIR|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| LIE || {{flagIOC|LIE|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| MTN || {{flagIOC|MTN|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| VIN || {{flagIOC|VIN|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| SOM || {{flagIOC|SOM|2008 Summer}} || 2
|-
| NRU || {{flagIOC|NRU|2008 Summer}} || 1
|-
| TLS || {{flagIOC|TLS|2008 Summer}} || 1
|}

==== 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>

==== Participation of athletes with disabilities ====
South African swimmer [[Natalie du Toit]], whose left leg was amputated following a motor scooter accident, qualified to compete at the Beijing Olympics. The five time gold medalist at the [[2004 Summer Paralympics|Athens Paralympics in 2004]] made history by becoming the first [[amputee]] to qualify for the Olympic Games since [[Olivér Halassy]] in 1936. She was able to compete in the Olympics rather than the Paralympics because she does not use a prosthetic leg while swimming.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hart |first=Simon |title=Dreams carry Natalie Du Toit to Beijing |newspaper=The Telegraph |date=4 May 2008 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/swimming/2299269/Dreams-carry-Natalie-Du-Toit-to-Beijing.html |access-date=15 June 2009 |location=London |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090530170103/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/swimming/2299269/Dreams-carry-Natalie-Du-Toit-to-Beijing.html |archive-date=30 May 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Polish athlete [[Natalia Partyka]], who was born without a right forearm, competed in Table Tennis in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Paralympic Games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.london2012.com/blog/2008/06/18/natalia-paralympic-and-olympic-athlete.php |title=Natalia: Paralympic AND Olympic athlete |access-date=15 June 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120906040512/http://www.london2012.com/about-us/our-vision/blog-archive/blog=natalia-paralympic-and-olympic-athlete/ |archive-date=6 September 2012 }}</ref>

=== Sports ===
The program for the Beijing Games was quite similar to that of the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. There were 28 sports and 302 events at the 2008 Games. Nine new events were held, including two from the new [[Cycling at the Summer Olympics|cycling]] discipline of [[BMX]]. Women competed in the {{convert|3000|m|ft|0|adj=mid|sp=us}} [[steeplechase (athletics)|steeplechase]] for the first time. [[Open water swimming]] events for men and women, over the distance of {{convert|10|km|mi|sp=us}}, were added to the swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis replaced the doubles events.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2008/08/10/2008-08-10_a_2008_summer_olympics_primer.html|title=A 2008 Summer Olympics primer|date=10 August 2008|work=New York Daily News|access-date=8 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174703/https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/2008-summer-olympics-primer-article-1.313803|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In [[fencing]], the women's team foil and women's team saber replaced men's team foil and women's team [[épée]].{{efn|The fencing program included six individual events and four team events; the [[Fédération Internationale d'Escrime|FIE]]'s rules call for the set of team events to be different from those held in the previous Games and for at least one team event in each weapon to be contested. The fourth event is determined by a vote. In [[Fencing at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004]], the three men's team events ([[Foil (fencing)|foil]], [[saber]], [[épée]]) and the women's épée were held, so in 2008, both the women's foil and saber events, as well as the men's épée, were automatically selected. The fourth event, men's saber, was chosen over men's foil by a 45:20 vote.<ref name="FencingTeam">{{cite web |url=http://www.fie.ch/download/letters/2006/urgent/09/en/decisions%20ANG.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080307170803/http://www.fie.ch/download/letters/2006/urgent/09/en/decisions%20ANG.pdf |archive-date=7 March 2008 |title=List of decisions of the 2006 General Assembly |date=8 April 2006 |publisher=[[Fédération Internationale d'Escrime]] |access-date=7 June 2009}}</ref>}} Two sports were open only to men, [[Baseball at the 2008 Summer Olympics|baseball]] and [[Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|boxing]], while one sport and one discipline were open only to women, [[Softball at the 2008 Summer Olympics|softball]] and [[Synchronized swimming at the 2008 Summer Olympics|synchronized swimming]]. [[Equestrian at the Summer Olympics|Equestrian]] and [[Badminton at the Summer Olympics|mixed badminton]] are the only sports in which men and women compete together, although three events in the [[Sailing at the Summer Olympics|Sailing]] allowed the opportunity for both males and female participants. However, only male participants took part in all three events.<ref name="2008programme">{{cite news|url=http://olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1797 |title=Beijing 2008: Games Programme Finalised |work=[[International Olympic Committee]] |date=27 April 2006 |access-date=7 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080914051210/http://olympic.org/uk/news/olympic_news/full_story_uk.asp?id=1797 |archive-date=14 September 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1056.pdf |title=Programme of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008 |publisher=[[International Olympic Committee]] |access-date=25 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723070956/http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1056.pdf |archive-date=23 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The following were the 302 events in 28 sports that were contested at the Games. The number of events contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses (in sports with more than one discipline, as identified by the IOC,<ref name="IOC sports (olypmic.org)">{{cite web | url=http://www.olympic.org/sports | title=Home > Sports | publisher=olympic.org | access-date=24 October 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174712/https://www.olympic.org/sports%20 | archive-date=25 December 2018 | url-status=live }}</ref> these are also specified).
<!--[[File:Michael Phelps 2009.jpg|upright=0.45|thumb|left|[[Michael Phelps]] set a record for number of gold medals at the Olympics.]]-->

{|class="wikitable"
|-
!2008 Summer Olympics Sports Programme
|-
|
{{Col-begin}}
{{Col-1-of-4}}
*{{GamesSport|Aquatics|Format=d}}
**{{GamesSport|Diving|Events=8|Image=No|Format=d}}
**{{GamesSport|Swimming|Events=34|Image=No|Format=d}}
**{{GamesSport|Synchronized swimming|Events=2|Image=No|Format=d}}
**{{GamesSport|Water polo|Events=2|Image=No|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Archery|Events=4|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Athletics|Events=47|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Badminton|Events=5|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Baseball|Events=1|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Basketball|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Boxing|Events=11|Format=d}}
{{Col-2-of-4}}
*{{GamesSport|Canoeing|Format=d}}
**Slalom <small>(4)</small>
**Sprint <small>(12)</small>
*{{GamesSport|Cycling|Format=d}}
**BMX <small>(2)</small>
**Road <small>(4)</small>
**Track <small>(10)</small>
**Mountain bike <small>(2)</small>
*{{GamesSport|Equestrian|Format=d}}
**Dressage <small>(2)</small>
**Eventing <small>(2)</small>
**Jumping <small>(2)</small>
{{Col-2-of-4}}
*{{GamesSport|Fencing|Events=10|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Field hockey|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Football|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Gymnastics|Format=d}}
**Artistic <small>(14)</small>
**Rhythmic <small>(2)</small>
**Trampoline <small>(2)</small>
*{{GamesSport|Handball|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Judo|Events=14|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Modern pentathlon|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Rowing|Events=14|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Sailing|Events=11|Format=d}}
{{Col-3-of-4}}
*{{GamesSport|Shooting|Events=15|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Softball|Events=1|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Table tennis|Events=4|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Taekwondo|Events=8|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Tennis|Events=4|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Triathlon|Events=2|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Volleyball|Format=d}}
**Beach volleyball <small>(2)</small>
**Volleyball <small>(2)</small>
*{{GamesSport|Weightlifting|Events=15|Format=d}}
*{{GamesSport|Wrestling|Format=d}}
**Freestyle <small>(11)</small>
**Greco-Roman <small>(7)</small>
{{col-end}}
|}

In addition to the official Olympic sports, the Beijing Organizing Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a [[wushu (sport)|wushu]] competition in tandem with the Games. The [[2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament]] saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate, with medals awarded in 15 separate events; however, these were not to be added to the official medal tally since Wushu was not on the official program of the 2008 Summer Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214506999.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808100337/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/preparation/n214506999.shtml|archive-date=8 August 2008|title=Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 to begin August 21|website=en.beijing2008.cn|access-date=5 August 2008}}</ref>

=== Calendar ===
In the following calendar for the 2008 Summer Olympics, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. Each bullet in these boxes is an event final, the number of bullets per box representing the number of finals that were contested on that day. On the left, the calendar lists each sport with events held during the Games, and at the right how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader.<ref name="Calendar">{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/cptvenues/schedule/ |title=Olympic Games Competition Schedule |publisher=[[Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games]] |access-date=5 July 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070618095401/http://en.beijing2008.cn/cptvenues/schedule/ |archive-date=18 June 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
{{#section:Chronological summary of the 2008 Summer Olympics|Calendar}}

=== Records ===
{{main|World and Olympic records set at the 2008 Summer Olympics}}
125 [[Olympic record]]s including 37 [[world records]] were set in various events at the Games. In swimming, sixty-five [[List of Olympic records in swimming|Olympic swimming records]] including 25 [[List of world records in swimming|world records]] were broken because of the use of the [[LZR Racer]], a specialized swimming suit developed by [[NASA]] and the [[Australian Institute of Sport]].<ref name="Physorg">{{cite web|url=http://www.physorg.com/news123416635.html=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919084240/http://www.physorg.com/news123416635.html%3Den |archive-date=19 September 2008 |title=Engineering the world's fastest swimsuit |publisher=Physorg |date=28 February 2008 |access-date=30 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Only two swimming Olympic records remained intact after the Games.

=== Opening ceremony ===
{{main|2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony}}
[[File:Beijing Olympics 2008.jpg|thumb|upright=1.21|Opening Ceremony.]]
Before the event started, the [[People's Liberation Army Navy Band]] performed the ''Welcome March'' song as delegations of both IOC and the Chinese government, led by [[Jacques Rogge]] and [[Hu Jintao]], entered [[Beijing National Stadium]] (The ''Bird's Nest'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/ceremonies/n214508163.shtml |title=Opening Ceremony plan released |date=6 August 2008 |publisher=Official website |access-date=8 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080808103425/http://en.beijing2008.cn/ceremonies/n214508163.shtml |archive-date= 8 August 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The opening ceremony officially began at 8:00 pm [[China Standard Time]] ([[UTC+8]]) on 8 August 2008. The number 8 is associated with prosperity and confidence in [[Numbers in Chinese culture|Chinese culture]], and the ceremonial start comprised a triple eight for the date and one extra for time (close to 08:08:08&nbsp;pm).<ref name="Eight">{{cite web|url=http://afgen.com/china8.html |title=The Number Eight and the Chinese |access-date=22 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070427201943/http://afgen.com/china8.html |archive-date=27 April 2007 |url-status=dead}}{{irrelevant citation|date=April 2023}}</ref> The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker [[Zhang Yimou]] and Chinese choreographer [[Zhang Jigang]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/culture/ceremonies/n214143744.shtml |title=Zhang Yimou and his five creative generals |date=23 August 2007 |publisher=Beijing2008.cn |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428200852/http://en.beijing2008.cn/culture/ceremonies/n214143744.shtml |archive-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and featured a cast of over 15,000 performers.<ref name="Crean">{{Cite book |last=Crean |first=Jeffrey |title=The Fear of Chinese Power: an International History |date=2024 |publisher=[[Bloomsbury Academic]] |isbn=978-1-350-23394-2 |edition= |series=New Approaches to International History series |location=London, UK |pages=165}}</ref> The ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over US$100&nbsp;million to produce.<ref>{{cite news|title=China Celebrates Opening of Summer Olympics : NPR |newspaper = NPR.org|url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93420251 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100122052643/http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93420251 |archive-date=22 January 2010 |url-status=live |access-date=9 September 2009 }}</ref> [[UNGA]] President [[Miguel d'Escoto]] and leaders from 105 countries and territories attended this ceremony.

[[File:2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony - Ilias Iliadis (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright=0.86|Ilias Iliadis led the Greek team into the Bird's Nest as the traditional first contingent.]]

[[File:Yao Ming 2008 Summer Olympics - Opening Ceremony.jpg |thumb|upright=1.18|Yao Ming and Lin Hao led the host country. China, as the host, enters last among 204 nations with a large vast of participants joining the parade.]]

A rich showcase of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated the ceremony cultural segments. It opened with the beating of [[Fou (instrument)|Fou]] drums for the countdown. Subsequently, a giant [[scroll]] was unveiled and became the show's centerpiece. The official song of the 2008 Summer Olympics, titled "[[You and Me (theme song)|You and Me]]", was performed by Britain's [[Sarah Brightman]] and China's [[Liu Huan]], on a large spinning rendition of the globe.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUST29313420080807|title=Fears, foul-ups and triumphs at past Olympic openings|date=7 August 2008|work=Reuters|access-date=5 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831104338/http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUST29313420080807|archive-date=31 August 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> As the Olympic Charter determines the parade of nations section, is led by the [[Greece at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Greek team]], which hosted the [[2004 Summer Olympics|previous games]], entered first in honour of its status as the Olympic birthplace. They were led by judoka [[Ilias Iliadis (judoka)|Ilias Iliadis]]. Meanwhile, the [[China at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Chinese team]] entered last as the host country, led by the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Houston Rockets]] superstar [[Yao Ming]] and [[2008 Sichuan earthquake|earthquake]] survivor Lin Hao, who was just 9 years old. The last torchbearer in the Olympic Torch was the [[gymnast]] legend [[Li Ning]] ignited the [[2008 Summer Olympics cauldron|cauldron]], after being suspended into the air by wires and completing the relay last 400m of the National Stadium at roof height.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=oly&id=3525418|title=China strides onto Olympic stage|date=8 August 2008|publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=5 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106194514/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/wire?section=oly&id=3525418|archive-date=6 November 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Beijing 2008 Olympic cauldron lighting (cropped).JPG|thumb|upright=1.22|The lighting of the Olympic Cauldron.]]
[[File:Li Ling during 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremony.jpg|thumb|upright=1.18|Chinese gymnast Li Ning after igniting the cauldron.]]

The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as "spectacular" and "spellbinding".<ref name="AFPGreatestEver" /> [[Hein Verbruggen]], chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad, called the ceremony "a grand, unprecedented success."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/ioc/n214520633.shtml |title=Verbruggen: Opening Ceremony a grand success |publisher=Beijing2008.cn |date=9 August 2008 |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428182913/http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/official/ioc/n214520633.shtml |archive-date=28 April 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Closing ceremony ===
{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics closing ceremony}}

The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded the Beijing Games on 24 August 2008. It began at 8:00&nbsp;pm China Standard Time (UTC+8) and took place at the Beijing National Stadium.

The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London. [[Guo Jinlong]], the [[Mayor of Beijing]] handed over the [[Olympic flag]] to the [[Mayor of London]] [[Boris Johnson]], followed by a performance organized by [[London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games]].  This presentation included performances by guitarist [[Jimmy Page]] and recording artist [[Leona Lewis]].  Footballer [[David Beckham]] was also featured during London's presentation.<ref>{{cite news|title=London Takes Over as Olympic Host |date=24 August 2008 |publisher=The BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/7577999.stm |access-date=10 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080929000606/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/london_2012/7577999.stm |archive-date=29 September 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref>

== Medal table ==
{{Main|2008 Summer Olympics medal table}}
{{Further|List of 2008 Summer Olympics medal winners}}
[[File:Beijingolympicsmedals.jpg|thumb|The reverse side of the medals of the 2008 Summer Olympics: silver (left), gold (center), bronze (right). Each medal has a ring of [[jade]].]]
Of the 204 nations that participated in the 2008 Games, 87 earned medals and 54 of those won at least one gold medal, both of these figures setting new records for Olympic Games.<ref name=crary>{{cite news|last=Crary |first=David |title=The final count: China's gold rush |work=NBCOlympics.com |publisher=NBC |date=24 August 2008 |url=http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/newscenter/news/newsid=254694.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714161128/http://www.2008.nbcolympics.com/newscenter/news/newsid%3D254694.html |archive-date=14 July 2011 |access-date=6 June 2009 |agency=Associated Press |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/2621181/China-confirm-their-place-as-worlds-leading-superpower-Olympics.html|title=China confirm place as leading superpower after topping Olympic Games medal table|publisher=[[Telegraph Media Group]]|date=25 August 2008|first=Kaz|last=Mochlinski|access-date=2 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180715051955/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/2621181/China-confirm-their-place-as-worlds-leading-superpower-Olympics.html|archive-date=15 July 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> There were 117 participating countries that did not win any medals. Athletes from [[China at the 2008 Summer Olympics|China]] won the highest number of gold medals of any nation at these Games, with 48, thus making China the seventh nation to rank top in the medal table in the history of the modern Olympics, along with the [[United States at the Olympics|United States]] (fifteen times), [[France at the Olympics|France]] (in 1900), [[Great Britain at the Olympics|Great Britain]] (in 1908), [[Germany at the Olympics|Germany]] (in 1936), the [[Soviet Union at the Olympics|Soviet Union]] (six times), and the [[Unified Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Unified Team]] (in 1992).<ref name="crary"/>

The [[United States at the 2008 Summer Olympics|United States]] team won the most medals overall, with 112. [[Afghanistan at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Afghanistan]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Afghans win first Olympic medal |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/taekwondo/7572409.stm |access-date=20 August 2008 |date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821064824/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/taekwondo/7572409.stm |archive-date=21 August 2008 |url-status=live  }}</ref> [[Mauritius at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Mauritius]],<ref name=iht>{{cite news|title=Mauritian delight at first ever medal|url=http://m.bt.com.bn/international_sport/2008/08/23/beijing_buzz|work=[[The Brunei Times]]|location=Brunei|date=23 August 2008|access-date=13 April 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421235456/http://m.bt.com.bn/international_sport/2008/08/23/beijing_buzz|archive-date=21 April 2016}}</ref> [[Sudan at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Sudan]],<ref>{{cite news|title=Darfur runner wins Sudan's first Olympic medal |url=http://2008games.nytimes.com/olympics/story.asp?i=20080824121844314602808&ref=rec&tm=&src=DOLY |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714220216/http://2008games.nytimes.com/olympics/story.asp?i=20080824121844314602808&ref=rec&tm=&src=DOLY |archive-date=14 July 2011 |author=Osman, Mohamed |work=[[The New York Times]] |access-date=5 June 2009 |date=24 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Tajikistan at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Tajikistan]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Italy, Azerbaijan win golds|author=Talmadge, Eric|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/sports/11iht-olyjudo11.15183337.html?_r=1|access-date=5 June 2009|date=11 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174704/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/11/sports/11iht-olyjudo11.15183337.html?_r=1|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Togo at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Togo]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Togo claims first Olympic medal |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7556266.stm |date=12 August 2008 |access-date=5 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174655/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7556266.stm%20 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> won their first Olympic medals. [[Mongolia at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Mongolia]] (which previously held the record for most medals without a gold)<ref>{{cite news |title=Naidan wins Mongolia's first gold |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/judo/7560951.stm |access-date=5 June 2009 |date=14 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174701/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/judo/7560951.stm%20 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Panama at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Panama]]<ref>{{cite news|title=Liu out, Isinbayeva gets world record|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/sports/18iht-olyath118.15391333.html|access-date=5 June 2009|date=18 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174714/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/18/sports/18iht-olyath118.15391333.html|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> won their first gold medals. Four members of the water polo team from [[Serbia at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Serbia]] won the first medal for their country under its new name, having previously won medals representing [[Yugoslavia at the 2000 Summer Olympics|Yugoslavia]] and [[Serbia and Montenegro at the 2004 Summer Olympics|Serbia and Montenegro]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Serbian PM congratulates swimmer on winning medal in Beijing Olympics|publisher=Chinaview.cn|url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/17/content_9416202.htm|access-date=5 June 2009|date=17 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080818231306/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/17/content_9416202.htm|archive-date=18 August 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>
<!--Four Serbian athletes [[Dejan Savić]], [[Aleksandar Ćirić]], [[Aleksandar Šapić]] and [[Vladimir Vujasinović]] were all medalists in 2000/2004/2008 (in water polo).-->

American swimmer [[Michael Phelps]] won a total of eight gold medals, more than any other athlete in a single Olympic Games, setting numerous world and Olympic records in the process.<ref name="crary"/> Jamaican sprinter [[Usain Bolt]] also set records in several different events, completing the 100m final with a time of 9.69 seconds, beating his own previous world record.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/athletics/7565203.stm|title=Bolt surges to gold in new record|publisher=BBC|date=16 August 2008|access-date=7 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174710/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/athletics/7565203.stm|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Gymnast [[Nastia Liukin]] won the all-around gold medal in artistic gymnastics, becoming the third American female to do so, following in the footsteps of [[Mary Lou Retton]] in [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984]] and [[Carly Patterson]] in [[2004 Summer Olympics|2004]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.people.com/people/package/article/0,,20612225_20617996,00.html|title=Gabby Douglas poses with Nastia Liukin, Carly Patterson, and Mary Lou Retton|last=Scwartz|first=Alison|work=People|date=30 August 2012|access-date=7 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225174659/https://people.com/sports/gabby-douglas-poses-with-nastia-liukin-carly-patterson-and-mary-lou-retton/|archive-date=25 December 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

These are the top ten nations that won medals in the 2008 Games

{{Color box|#ffffff|&nbsp;<nowiki>‡</nowiki>&nbsp;|border=darkgray}} Changes in medal standings ([[2008 Summer Olympics medal table#Changes in medal standings|see here]]).

{{:2008 Summer Olympics medal table}}

===Podium sweeps===
{| class="wikitable"
|+
!Date
!Sport
!Event
!NOC
!Gold
!Silver
!Bronze
|-
|9 August 
|[[Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Fencing]]
|[[Fencing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's sabre|Women's sabre]] 
|{{flagIOC|USA|2008 Summer}}
|[[Mariel Zagunis]]
|[[Sada Jacobson]]
|[[Rebecca Ward]]
|-
|17 August
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Athletics]] 
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's 100 metres|Women's 100 meters]]
|{{flagIOC|JAM|2008 Summer}}
|[[Shelly-Ann Fraser]]
|[[Sherone Simpson]]<br />[[Kerron Stewart]]
|''Not awarded''
|-
|17 August
|[[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Tennis]]
|[[Tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Women's singles]]
|{{flagIOC|RUS|2008 Summer}}
|[[Elena Dementieva]]
|[[Dinara Safina]]
|[[Vera Zvonareva]]
|-
|18 August
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Athletics]]
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres hurdles|Men's 400 meters hurdles]]
|{{flagIOC|USA|2008 Summer}}
|[[Angelo Taylor]]
|[[Kerron Clement]]
|[[Bershawn Jackson]]
|-
|21 August
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Athletics]]
|[[Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 400 metres|Men's 400 meters]]
|{{flagIOC|USA|2008 Summer}}
|[[LaShawn Merritt]]
|[[Jeremy Wariner]]
|[[David Neville (sprinter)|David Neville]]

|-
|22 August
|[[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Table tennis]]
|[[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Women's singles|Women's singles]]
|{{flagIOC|CHN|2008 Summer}}
|[[Zhang Yining]]
|[[Wang Nan (table tennis)|Wang Nan]] 
|[[Guo Yue (table tennis)|Guo Yue]]
|-
|23 August
|[[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics|Table tennis]]
|[[Table tennis at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's singles|Men's singles]]
|{{flagIOC|CHN|2008 Summer}}
|[[Ma Lin (table tennis)|Ma Lin]]
|[[Wang Hao (table tennis, born 1983)|Wang Hao]]
|[[Wang Liqin]]
|}

== 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>

== Legacy ==
[[File:Pebetero de Beijing 2008.JPG|thumb|right|Beijing 2008 cauldron in 2013]]
The 2008 Summer Olympics have been generally accepted by the world's media as a [[logistics|logistical]] success.<ref name="legacy1">{{cite news |last=Skalij |first=Wally |title=Beijing Olympics were logistically successful and sneaky, too |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-aug-24-sp-olyplaschke24-story.html |newspaper=LA Times |access-date=29 August 2008 |date=24 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624095617/http://articles.latimes.com/2008/aug/24/sports/sp-olyplaschke24 |archive-date=24 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many of the worst fears about the Games failed to materialize: no terrorists struck Beijing; no athlete protested at the podium (though Swedish wrestler [[Ara Abrahamian]] tossed his bronze medal in disgust over judging); and the air quality, despite being the worst in Olympics history, was not as bad as many had feared beforehand – due largely to favorable weather patterns.<ref>{{cite web|title=China Launches Olympic-Size Headache |date=20 August 2008 |url=http://www.nysun.com/foreign/china-launches-olympic-size-headache/84259/ |access-date=31 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829000445/http://www.nysun.com/foreign/china-launches-olympic-size-headache/84259/ |archive-date=29 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Beijing Olympics were the most polluted games ever, researchers say |date=22 June 2009 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/london2012/5597277/Beijing-Olympics-were-the-most-polluted-games-ever-researchers-say.html |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |access-date=26 June 2009 |first=Alastair |last=Jamieson |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626074823/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/olympics/london2012/5597277/Beijing-Olympics-were-the-most-polluted-games-ever-researchers-say.html |archive-date=26 June 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Many in China viewed the Olympics as "an affirmation of a single [[nationalism|nationalistic]] dream" and saw protests during the international torch relay as an insult to China.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Olympic-Games-all-about-China-Chinese-3274954.php|title=→Beijing Olympic Games all about China, Chinese Leaders keen to impress, inspire their own people|last=April Rabkin|date=1 August 2008|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=17 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119225630/http://articles.sfgate.com/2008-08-01/news/17121901_1_international-olympic-committee-s-choice-beijing-torch-protests|archive-date=19 November 2010|url-status=live}}</ref> The Games also bolstered domestic support for the Chinese government, and for the policies of the [[Chinese Communist Party|Communist Party]], giving rise to concerns that the Olympics would give the state more leverage to suppress political [[dissent]], at least temporarily.<ref name="legacy2">{{cite web|last=Gardner |first=Dinah |title=China's Olympic legacy |date=25 August 2008 |url=http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/beijing08/2008/08/20088255274440438.html |access-date=29 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829090422/http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/beijing08/2008/08/20088255274440438.html |archive-date=29 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> Efforts to quell any unrest before and during the Games also contributed to a rapid expansion in the size and political clout of China's [[Ministry of Public Security of the People's Republic of China|internal security forces]], and this growth continued through the following years.<ref>{{cite news|title=China's new rulers, Princelings and the goon state, The rise and rise of the princelings, the country's revolutionary aristocracy|date=14 April 2011|url=http://www.economist.com/node/18561005|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=22 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623041351/http://www.economist.com/node/18561005|archive-date=23 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Reports also indicated that the Olympics boosted the political careers of pro-Beijing politicians in Hong Kong, as many Chinese gold medal winners campaigned on behalf of the pro-Beijing [[The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong|DAB]] during the [[2008 Hong Kong legislative election|2008 election]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Democrats perform well despite 'Olympic factor' in Hong Kong elections |date=8 September 2008 |url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/democrats-perform-well-despite-olympics-factor-in-hong-kong-elections_10093389.html |access-date=6 June 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321210103/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/democrats-perform-well-despite-olympics-factor-in-hong-kong-elections_10093389.html |archive-date=21 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> although any trend towards greater identification by [[Hong Kong people|Hong Kongers]] with mainland China appears to have been short-lived.<ref>{{cite news|last=Higgins|first=Andrew|title=China denounces 'Hong Konger' trend|date=11 January 2012|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-denounces-hong-konger-trend/2012/01/10/gIQAmivNqP_story.html|access-date=22 July 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120604200828/http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/china-denounces-hong-konger-trend/2012/01/10/gIQAmivNqP_story.html|archive-date=4 June 2012|url-status=live}}</ref>

Some sectors of the Beijing economy may have benefited from the influx of tourists. Other sectors such as manufacturing lost revenue because of plant closings related to the government's efforts to improve air quality. Four years after the Games, many of the specially constructed facilities were underused or even deserted.<ref>{{cite news|last=McDonald|first=Mark|title='Ruin Porn' — the Aftermath of the Beijing Olympics|date=15 July 2012|url=http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/ruin-porn-the-aftermath-of-the-beijing-olympics|access-date=21 July 2012|work=The New York Times|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120719133617/http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/07/15/ruin-porn-the-aftermath-of-the-beijing-olympics/|archive-date=19 July 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> It is generally expected by economists that there will be no lasting effects on Beijing's economy from the Games.<ref name="legacy5">{{cite news|title=Beijing's economy – Going for gold |date=25 August 2008 |url=http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11920899 |access-date=29 August 2008 |newspaper=The Economist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828170049/http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11920899 |archive-date=28 August 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

== See also ==
{{IOC seealso|games=2008 Summer Olympics }}
* [[Doping at the Olympic Games#2008 Beijing|Doping at the Olympic Games – 2008 Beijing]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}<references group="upper-alpha" />
== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== External links ==
{{sister project links|wikt=no|b=no|q=no|s=no|commons=Category:2008 Summer Olympics|n=no|v=no|species=no|d=Q8567}}
{{Wikivoyage|Beijing 2008}}
{{Scholia|topic}}
* {{IOC games|games=2008 Summer Olympics }}
*{{cite web|url=http://en.beijing2008.cn/index.shtml |title=2008 Summer Olympics Official Site |access-date=20 June 2013 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081012084504/http://en.beijing2008.cn/index.shtml |archive-date=12 October 2008 }} 
* [http://www.moderndayruins.com/2012/08/with-summer-olympics-just-coming-to_31.html Beijing Olympic Sites Four Years Later – What Remains at Modern Day Ruins]
* {{Cite web|last=Mallon|first=Bill|title=ALL OLYMPIC DOPING POSITIVES – THE COUNT BY GAMES|work=OlympStats| date=18 January 2019|url=http://olympstats.com/2019/01/18/all-olympic-doping-positives-the-count-by-games/}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[2004 Summer Olympics|Athens]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=XXIX Olympiad<br />Beijing|years=2008}}
{{s-aft|after=[[2012 Summer Olympics|London]]}}
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{{Olympic Games}}
{{Qualification for the 2008 Summer Olympics}}
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