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The summary:

Barack Obama joined Democratic presidential rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday in calling for U.S. President George W. Bush to boycott the opening ceremonies for the Olympic Games in Beijing.

Activists are urging world leaders to stay away from the ceremonies to underscore concerns about China’s human rights record, its handling of recent unrest in Tibet and its relationship with Sudan.

Since British Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced that he would skip the August ceremonies in China’s capital, Clinton commended Brown and called on Obama and likely Republican presidential nominee John McCain to join her in urging Bush to do the same.

Obama said a boycott “should be firmly on the table,” but a decision should be made closer to the games. He also said that “there should be consequences” for China if it does not take steps to respect rights and freedoms in Tibet.

Clinton said Bush should use threat of a boycott to exert leverage on the Chinese government. “I believe that the president should not attend the opening ceremonies because it is giving a seal of approval by our United States government,” she told reporters near Pittsburgh on Wednesday.

My reaction:

As almost the whole world is in the fever of considering the boycott for the Beijing Olympic Games, three hot persons in the election year of the U.S.A —Obama, Clinton and John McCain urged Bush to follow the other countries’ steps—to boycott the opening ceremony. Before reading this article, I did not realize that the violence in Tibet could arouse such large-scale concern all over the world. At the beginning, it was some European countries, then the E.U., now the fever even hit the U.S. Every country seemed highlight the violence in Tibet and raised the Olympic Games to a political level. But, as I have said before, it is unwise to boycott the Beijing Olympic Games and I hope that Bush will not be convinced to make the wrong decision.

The summary:

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said he does not plan to boycott August’s Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing or the torch relay in London this weekend.”I think we’ve got to bear in mind that although there’s a huge amount of controversy now surrounding the Olympics because of what’s been happening in Tibet, the Dalai Lama himself has made it clear he doesn’t want there to be a boycott of the Olympics,” Brown told reporters at his monthly news conference. “I think we’ve got to bear in mind the views around the world that the Olympics should go ahead as a sporting occasion.”

The Olympic torch relay will pass through London this Sunday on its way to the Olympics in Beijing, China, and Brown said he would be there to welcome it. And he said he would also attend the opening ceremonies for the Olympics because London was hosting the next summer games in 2012.

Questions about an Olympic boycott intensified last month after China began a crackdown on anti-Chinese demonstrators in Tibet. Brown repeated his call for dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader.

My reaction:

First, I want to thank British Prime Minister Brown for not boycotting Beijing Olympic Games. Although he may not agree with the way we used to repress the violence in Tibet, he took the interests of the whole into account. I endorse the remark that “the Olympics should go ahead as a sporting occasion.” he said.

Second, I want to say that we call the “demonstrators” “terrorists”, because demonstrators would not kill people or burn buildings in order to achieve their goals, but terrorists are persons who use or favor violent and intimidating methods for coercing a government or community. We knew that the so-called “demonstrators” burned a market and killed many people in Tibet. Apparently, they were terrorists. Thus, facing them, we should use paramilitary police or troops to repress them.

The summary:

The head of the European Parliament invited the Dalai Lama on Wednesday to address the EU legislature on events in Tibet and questioned whether European leaders should attend the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games.

Parliament President Hans-Gert Poettering urged the Chinese authorities to seek a solution to the unrest through dialogue with the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, respecting China’s territorial integrity. “I genuinely say that all politicians must ask themselves whether they can attend the opening ceremony if China fails to take part in dialogue.” Poettering said.

However, not all the voices in Europe agreed with the boycott. The EU’s Slovenian presidency and the European Commission rejected calls to shun the Beijing Games. Slovenian Secretary of State for European Affairs Janez Lenarcic and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner urged China to exercise restraint in Tibet, release prisoners arrested during the protests, respect human rights and allow journalists to report in the province freely.

But it seems like most of the European countries are considering the boycott. On Tuesday, French President Nicolas Sarkozy refused to rule out boycotting the opening ceremony of the games.Several EU lawmakers called for a boycott of the Olympics or at least of the opening ceremony.Greens floor leader Daniel Cohn-Bendit said: “The EU must altogether refuse to attend the opening ceremony, because it is a political act.” British Conservative Edward McMillan-Scott accused China of committing genocide in Tibet and said that for politicians of principle, it was no long a question of “whether a boycott of the Olympics but what sort of boycott”.

The speaker of the Himalayan region’s parliament in exile said earlier in Brussels that the Olympics should go ahead despite China’s clampdown on protestors in Tibet.”But we must use the Olympics to force China to conform with international rules,” Karma Chophel told a news conference at the European Parliament in Brussels.

My reaction:

After hearing of the violence in Tibet, I realized that there was unrest in China, too. Till now, I still do not know the whole event concretely. So I don’t think I have the qualification to give comments on this issue. But I think China has the ability to solve this problem. So it is unwise to boycott the 2008 Olympic Games. Chinese people have prepared so many things for the Olympic Games. It is really a nationwide movement. But if it was boycotted by some foreign countries, China would feel very disappointed.

The summary:

Among all the protests, pollution concerns and talk of boycotts surrounding the Beijing Olympics, a more basic problem has arisen for organizers: the toilets. At more than 30 test events，the presence of squat toilets at many of the new and renovated venues has drawn frequent complaints. The portable toilets trucked in some new venue were of the style used widely in Asia, but rarely in the West.

“We have asked the venues to improve on this, to increase the number to sit-down toilets,” Yao Hui, deputy director of venue management for the Beijing organizers, said today. He said renovation was underway at the three most striking venues for the Olympics, the 91,000-seat “Bird’s Nest” National Stadium, the “Water Cube” and the National Indoor Stadium. He said most of the toilets there “should be” the sit-down style.

Beijing is expecting about 500,000 foreigners to attend the Aug. 8-24 games. “Most of the Chinese people are used to the squat toilet, but nowadays more and more people demand sit-down toilets,” Yao said. “However, it will take some time for this transition. I believe the Olympic Games will be a great opportunity for us to speed up this transition, and I believe the situation will get better and better.”

My reaction:

In terms of the problems of pollution mentioned at the beginning, I believe that Beijing has the ability to solve it because nowadays I notice that the environment of Beijing has become better and better. The sky is getting bluer and bluer. Speaking of the talk of boycotts, however, I felt anxious because I know it was caused by the violence in Tibet but I do not know what was going on in Tibet concretely. I become more and more aware that there are so many uncertain factors influencing Beijing Olympic Games. I realize that it is not always a good thing to hold the Olympic Games. Everything has two sides. I hope our Beijing will overcome all the difficulties and obstacles and hold the 2008 Olympic Games successfully.

The summary:

The United States dropped China from its list of the world’s worst human rights violators, but added Syria, Uzbekistan and Sudan to its top 10 offenders in an annual report released Tuesday. China had been fingered as one of the worst violators in the Department’s 2006 and 2005 reports. However, the State Department’s 2007 Human Rights Report said China, which has raised hopes internationally that it would improve human rights by hosting the 2008 Olympics, still had a poor record overall. The State Department said in the report that “countries in which power was concentrated in the hands of unaccountable rulers remained the world’s most systematic human rights violators.”

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the report was aimed at highlighting the struggle for human rights around the world. “Change may, indeed, change will take time, but change will come.” Rice told reporters.

Another State Department official, who asked not to be named, insisted: “We’re not pulling punches with China” and denied there was any link with the Olympic Games. But rights groups criticized the report’s findings. “We’re of the view that the human rights situation in China is actually certainly not improving and particularly that there are abuses that are now taking place specifically because China is hosting the Olympics,” said Sophie Richardson, from Human Rights Watch.

My reaction:

After I entered university, I often read news from foreign newspapers or heard broadcasts on the foreign websites saying that there is no human right in China. China, of course, has only one central government and only one powerful Party—the Communist Party, not like many other western countries which have at least two Parties, not to mention the U.S.A, which has three branches in governing in order to achieve the check and balance.

I think, however, that China would not develop as well as it does now if she was not governed by such central government and by the Communist Party. As the saying goes, “the fittest survive.” The Communist Party was selected by China’s special history and special condition. And it is the Communist Party that has led China’s economy to develop so fast, lifted China’s people’s living standards to the present level and brought China to the big Olympic stage!

The summary:

Former U.S. sprinter Marion Jones, who had to turn herself in on Tuesday, surrendered to authorities at Carswell Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth, Texas, and reported to a federal prison in Texas on Friday to begin serving a six-month sentence for lying to prosecutors about steroid use that helped her win five medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

The punishment was not just this. Jones was stripped of the Olympic medals, three of which were gold, and all of her performances in September 2000 were erased from the record books.

For years, Jones denied using performance-enhancing drugs, but in October pleaded guilty to two charges of perjury. She admitted she had lied to investigators in 2003 when she denied knowing that she took the banned substance tetrahydrogestrinone (THG), known as “the clear”, before the 2000 Olympics.

My reaction:

Marion Jones was the first female name I heard of in track and field. At that time, I was shocked by her running speed. And I thought she was very cool. She won five medals in 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. I have always known that she was the hero and idol worshipped by millions of Americans and even many people from other countries.

However, the higher reputation she gained, the more people would feel disappointed on her drug scandal, including me. She cheated. She deceived the Olympic officials, the spectators, her loyal fans and people all over the world. The essence of sports was sullied. Anyway, I hope she can recover from this storm and lead a happy, honest life.

The summary:

The time is short, but the International Olympic Committee is certain Singapore can deliver a successful Youth Olympic Games come 2010. “The time at your disposal is very little,” the IOC’s Executive Director for the Olympic Games, Gilbert Felli said, “but we’re confident you can do it. My only advice to the organising committee is this: There’s not a minute to lose.”

There are about 21/2 years to go before the opening ceremony on Aug 14, 2010, at the Marina Bay floating pontoon. Host cities for the Summer Olympics usually have about six to seven years to prepare. But, the Youth version does not require Singapore to build any new facilities. Only an equestrian venue is under construction, which will be ready by next April.

Gilbert Felli is slated to visit Singapore in April, along with IOC president Jacques Rogge.

My reaction:

I love Singapore. In my impression, it is a small country with various customs, a foreign country with the largest proportion of overseas Chinese. It has clean environment and people with high qualities. Its people can speak Chinese, English and local dialects fluently, which make me envy them. The beautiful sea, together with the sand beach and adequate sunshine builds up a wonderful nature beauty in Singapore.

I hope the 2010 Youth Olympic Games will become the most successful one in the history. And I believe that Singapore people have the ability to hold it successfully.

The Summary:

On Wednesday, the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency said that an “effective” test for detecting human growth hormone will be in place for the Beijing Olympics. WADA president John Fahey said that by the Olympic Games there will be a capacity to detect HGH, one of the most widely abused performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

Some athletes often use HGH with little fear of being caught, because HGH was extremely hard to detect, which partly because it clears the system very quickly. However, this time, WADA director general David Howman said that the test would be able to catch cheats within a window of “more than 48 hours.” WADA was very confident about the tests, arguing they would withstand any legal challenge.

However, things do not go on smoothly. After years of difficulties in finding a foolproof test, WADA also faced delays in the industrial production of HGH testing kits. Despite this hiccup, WADA said that once the kit has been scientifically validated it has to go to Beijing and people in Beijing have to be trained to use it.

My opinion:

Sometimes, I heard people say that almost every athlete uses drugs and it is also a competition among athletes not to be caught. If it is true, I think the nature of sports has already gone. The nature of sports is competing fairly on the basis of trusting each other. If everyone cheats by using drugs and everyone know that others are also cheating, everyone is playing a game of cheating and competing in a cheating match, not sports. I think that would disappoint many sports fans and all the competitions, including the Olympics and all the tournaments, would be meaningless and banned for ever.

That is not the thing I would like to see. I would like to believe most athletes are good persons with conscience and compete with their own abilities and talents.

The summary:

“All athletes will be prohibited from taking their own food into the Beijing Olympic Games Village in order to ensure food safety. The medicines are complicated and will be treated differently. Athletes who have long taken certain kinds of medicines should first report the medicines via the designated personnel of their respective countries and then might be able to take the medicines to Beijing.”said  the  Olympic  Officials on  this  Thursday.

The comments above were made in response to questions at a press conference about reports that the U.S. delegation would set up a training camp outside the Olympic Games Village so that their athletes could prepare their own food.

The games services department said that they have made thorough preparations for the Games by supplying a great variety of food to meet everybody’s needs and establishing a comprehensive food safety control mechanism. “We have been doing our utmost to take the customs and tastes of all competing athletes into consideration in supply of raw materials. Delegations from all countries should feel at ease eating the food we serve at the Olympic Village.

My reaction:

I think the U.S.A. team does not trust China. But I understand them. China, of course, has been polluted for several years, especially in water aspect. Meanwhile, the Olympics are so important that no athlete does not want to come. They know that it is a great opportunity for them to show their talents. They want to fight back or make up regrets. They want everyone to see them as the new. They do not want anyone to remember their unsuccessful past.

So do Beijing, China. Although she has a lot of problems before, China can do her utmost to solve them. We can see that China really wants to host 2008 Olympic Games successfully from the plan she is going to execute mentioned in the article. China wants everyone’s trust. And I trust her.

How about you?

The summary:

Allyson Felix is the reigning world champion in the 200 meters and a recent USC graduate. Although the performing-enhancing drug scandals have sullied the image of her sport, Felix said: “We’re hoping that the Beijing Olympics are a turning point, and I think a lot of athletes especially from my generation are really looking forward to this opportunity. People are looking up to us and we want to display what we can do as clean athletes.”

Felix was destroyed when she heard that Marion Jones was convicted in the result of the BALCO steroid case, because Jones was who Felix looked up to. So Felix knows the influence of idols, especially for kids. “It’s my responsibility along with other athletes to show what we’re doing (competing without the use of drugs) and what we’re all about.” she said.

My reaction:

Felix knows that the performing-enhancing drug scandals badly affected the image of her sport-sprints in track, so she wants to seize Beijing Olympics as an opportunity to get rid of bad impressions sprints left to people. In addition, she knows how important sport stars are for kids. So she thinks it is her responsibility to establish a positive image for all the athletes in order to not let children down. She is clever and responsible.  Athletes like her are getting fewer and fewer.