summer olympics summer olympic games officially known games chinese pinyin commonly known major international multi sport event took place beijing china august total athletes competed sports events total event schedule games china 22nd nation host olympic games 18th hold summer olympic games time summer olympic games held asia tokyo japan seoul south_korea equestrian events held hong_kong making time events olympics held jurisdiction different sailing contested football events took place different cities beijing awarded games competitors july having won majority votes members rounds voting government promoted games invested heavily new facilities transportation systems total venues host events including constructed specifically use games official logo olympic games titled dancing beijing refers host city featuring stylized character meaning capital games watched olympics history attracting billion viewers worldwide politicians non governmental organizations criticized choice china olympic host country human rights record protests critics china human rights record particular focus marred international portion olympic torch relay world records olympic records set summer olympics unprecedented countries won medal games chinese athletes won gold medals medals altogether united_states total medals final medal tally led host china followed united_states russia controversies games deemed generally successful rising standard competition nations world organization bid beijing elected host city summer olympics july moscow defeating bids toronto paris istanbul osaka prior session cities cairo havana submitted bids failed short list chosen round voting beijing held significant lead candidates osaka received votes eliminated second round beijing supported majority voters eliminating need subsequent rounds toronto bid 5th failure failed bid games members disclose votes news reports speculated broad international support led china selection especially developing nations received assistance china construction size china increased enforcement controls sympathy concerning loss summer olympics sydney factors decision years earlier beijing led round voting summer olympics losing sydney votes final round human rights concerns expressed politicians europe united_states considered delegates according director suggested selection lead improvements human rights china addition number delegates athletes expressed concern heat air quality games considering high levels air pollution beijing china outlined plans address environmental concerns bid application costs march olympic games reported total spending games generally athens olympic games equivalent billion went claim surplus revenues games exceed original target million reports estimated total costs billion billion games far away expensive budget exceeded winter olympics suffered major cost causing budget exceed billion venues construction beijing based olympic games venues begun chinese government renovated constructed venues outside beijing training centres largest structures built olympic green convention center olympic green construction budget main venues funded billion billion corporate bids investments expected corporations seeking ownership rights olympics events held outside beijing football shanghai sailing diseases major difficulties establishing disease free zone equestrian events held hong_kong summer olympics nicknamed bird nest nest like skeletal structure stadium hosted opening closing ceremonies athletics competition construction venue began december originally planned constructed completed help host games decision construct new stadium beijing city held bidding process select best arena design criteria required design including flexibility post olympics use retractable roof low maintenance costs entry list narrowed thirteen final designs bird nest model submitted architects collaboration china architecture design selected design professional panel broader audience public exhibition selection design official april construction stadium joint venture original designers project architect artist group architects led million cost funded state owned corporate beijing olympics caused traditional neighborhoods cleared construction modern olympic effort ensure success games government invested building new infrastructure clearance tiny outdated neighborhoods beijing called resulted new_york_times reporter interviews year old local resident government don want foreigners old face husband lived house years family owned property communists took control government trying clear area offered sum usd family insists land worth million usd american lives reported total residents relocated homes olympics began transport prepare olympic visitors beijing transportation infrastructure expanded beijing airport underwent major renovation addition new terminal designed architect city beijing subway doubled capacity length addition lines stations previously existing lines stations included expansion new link connecting city airport fleet thousands buses official cars transported spectators athletes officials venues effort improve air quality city placed restrictions construction sites gas stations limited use commercial passenger vehicles beijing june september passenger vehicle restrictions placed alternate days depending terminal digit car license plate anticipated measure beijing million cars streets boosted public transport network expected absorb demand created restrictions influx visitors estimated million additional passengers day marketing summer olympics emblem known emblem combined traditional chinese red seal representation character national capital second character beijing chinese athletic features open arms word invitation china world share culture president happy emblem saying new emblem immediately conveys awesome beauty power china embodied heritage people official motto olympics world dream called world join olympic spirit build better future humanity chosen entries submitted world following announcement motto phrase international advocates banners reading world dream free structures globe lead beijing olympics australia beijing representing colour olympic rings symbol chinese culture released olympic disciplines multi discipline sports cycling single released set sport icons named beauty seal characters likeness chinese seal script media coverage games produced broadcast entirely high definition host broadcaster comparison american broadcaster nbc broadcast half winter games bid olympic games beijing stated restrictions media reporting movement journalists including olympic games media outlets claimed organizers ultimately failed live commitment according nielsen_media_research billion viewers worldwide tuned television coverage fifth larger billion watched olympic games athens american broadcaster nbc produced hours online streaming video winter games produced approximately hours coverage summer games cnn reported time live online video rights markets olympics separately negotiated overall broadcast rights new media digital economy said growing times faster rest advertising market international provided live coverage highlights arenas certain territories website national broadcasters likewise restricted viewing online events domestic audiences announced individual sic websites face fines high recordings olympic games video internet extensive campaign protect intellectual property rights set separate youtube channel beijing theme song theme song olympic games composed musical director opening ceremony performed opening ceremony chinese singer british singer torch relay design olympic torch based traditional traditional chinese design known clouds torch designed remain lit mph winds rain hour relay theme journey harmony met protests demonstrations supporters journey lasted days carried torch longest distance olympic torch relay tradition began berlin games torch relay described public relations disaster china usa today protests china human rights record particularly focused subsequently barred future olympics organizers staging international torch relay began march greece traveled greece stadium athens beijing arriving march beijing torch followed route passing continent antarctica torch visited cities ancient links china rest world total selected world organizations entities international portion relay problematic month long world tour encountered wide scale protests trouble london involving attempts flame torch extinguished paris following day american leg san_francisco april altered prior warning avoid disturbances demonstrations original route relay delayed simplified earthquake hit western china flame carried long highway scaling mountain built especially relay million project spanned base camp march china banned climbing later persuaded government close officially citing environmental concerns reflected concerns chinese government activists try disrupt plans carry olympic torch world tallest peak originally proposed route taken torch leaving vietnam heading hong_kong government taiwan led independence leaning objected proposal claiming route portion relay taiwan appear torch domestic journey china leg international route dispute chinese demands flag national anthem banned route led government taiwan reject proposal relay route sides subsequently blamed politics event calendar times china standard time utc following calendar olympic games blue box represents event competition qualification round day yellow boxes represent days medal awarding finals sport held bullet boxes event final number bullets box representing number finals contested day left calendar lists sport events held games right gold medals won sport key calendar aid reader olympic world records olympic records including world records set events games swimming olympic swimming records including world records broken use specialized swimming suit developed nasa swimming olympic records remained intact games games opening ceremony opening ceremony officially began china standard time utc august beijing national stadium number associated prosperity confidence chinese culture triple date extra time close ceremony directed chinese filmmaker chinese choreographer featured cast performers ceremony lasted hours reported cost million produce rich assembly ancient chinese art culture dominated ceremony opened beating drums countdown subsequently giant unveiled centerpiece official song olympics titled performed britain china large spinning rendition globe recipient relay chinese ignited suspended air wires completing lap national stadium roof height opening ceremony lauded spectators international presses spectacular chairman called ceremony grand unprecedented success events program beijing games similar summer olympics held athens sports events games new events held including new cycling discipline women competed metre time open water swimming events men women distance kilometres added swimming discipline team events men women table tennis replaced doubles events fencing women team foil women team sabre replaced men team foil women team sports open men baseball boxing sport discipline open women synchronized swimming equestrian mixed sports men women compete following events sports contested games number events contested sport indicated sports discipline identified specified addition official olympic sports given special run competition parallel games tournament beijing saw athletes countries participate medals awarded separate events added official medal tally programme olympic games closing ceremony summer olympics closing ceremony concluded beijing games august began china standard time utc took place beijing national stadium ceremony included games beijing london mayor beijing handed olympic flag mayor london followed performance organized paralympic games presentation included performances guitarist recording artist featured london presentation medal count eighty seven nations earned medals won gold medals setting new records olympic games participating countries win medal athletes china won gold medals nation olympics nation united_states russia soviet_union lead medals germany summer olympics united_states team won medals overall afghanistan mauritius won olympic medals athletes previously held record medals gold panama won nation gold medals athlete serbia won medal having previously won medals yugoslavia serbia montenegro american swimmer received total gold medals single olympic games setting numerous world olympic records process jamaican set records multiple events completing final time seconds surpassing previous world record russian born american won gold medal artistic american woman following nations won medals games recognized existed participated summer olympics exception countries participated olympic games time montenegro member recognized allowed compete formally olympics sent delegation participate tournament beijing taken summer olympics coordinated efforts organize torch relay gained status respectively games eligible participate states serbia montenegro participated games jointly serbia montenegro competed separately time accepted new neighboring participate declaration independence specified requirements needs meet recognized notably recognized independent united_nations china united_states largest teams athletes china united_states heads state heads government ministers sport attended beijing olympic games national participation changes athletes taiwan competed games chinese chinese olympic flag official anthem participation taiwan briefly doubt disagreements team chinese language concerns taiwan marching special administrative region hong_kong compromise naming reached taiwan referred games chinese china mainland china government proposed addition placed chinese march nations starting north_korea south_korea held meetings discuss possibility sending united team olympics proposal failed disagreements athletes chosen north_korea demanding certain percentage representation athletes subsequent attempt broker agreement nations walk march nations failed despite having games july banned iraq competing olympic summer games political interference government sports reversed decision days later allowed nation compete pledge iraq ensure independence national olympics panel fair elections end november meantime iraq run interim committee proposed national sports approved summer olympic games disqualified august having failed register athletes said statement great shame sad athletes lose decision team register tried minute midday friday august day official opening register avail youth sports issued press release stating decision participate injury athletes georgia announced august considering withdrawing beijing olympic games south war went compete conflict ongoing participation athletes disabilities south african swimmer left leg following motor accident qualified compete beijing olympics time gold medalist history qualify olympic games able compete olympics paralympics use prosthetic leg swimming polish athlete born right competed olympic games paralympic games concerns controversies variety concerns games china hosting games expressed entities including allegations china violated pledge allow open media access alleged human rights violations continuous support regimes burma north_korea air pollution city beijing neighbouring areas proposed warnings possibility beijing olympics targeted terrorist groups disruption pro protesters religious reports members china women team including double gold medal winner young compete rules olympic eligibility official investigation lead olympics government allegedly issued guidelines local media reporting games political issues directly related games topics pro independence movements reported food safety issues cancer causing mineral water chinese milk scandal broke september widespread speculation china desire perfect games factor contributing delayed recall contaminated infant formula legacy olympic games generally accepted world media logistical success worst fears games failed terrorists struck beijing athlete protested podium swedish wrestler tossed bronze medal disgust judging air quality largely favorable weather patterns bad feared despite worst olympics history hopes hosting games lead improvements human rights rule law china went china viewed olympics single dream saw protests international torch relay insult china games bolstered domestic support chinese government policies communist_party giving rise concerns olympics state leverage suppress political dissent temporarily efforts quell unrest games contributed rapid expansion size political china internal security forces growth continued following years reports indicated olympics boosted political careers politicians hong_kong chinese gold medal winners campaigned behalf pro beijing election trend greater identification appears short lived long term economic impact games china beijing particular clear sectors economy benefited influx tourists sectors manufacturing lost revenue plant related government efforts improve air quality years games specially constructed facilities deserted generally expected lasting effects beijing economy games seven years games beijing awarded winter olympics
2008 Summer Olympics