The Observers

Farewell to Beijing !

Ségolène F24 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 15:05:38 +0200

Numerous records, a golden medal for the French swimmer Alain Bernard in 100 m, Michael Phelps who breaks Mickael Spitz's seven records, Usain Bolt who wins the 100 m, The golden medal for the Young Experts , ... But also Laure Manaudou's defeat and Liu Xiang's withdrawal....

During the Olympic Games, about thirty people react and analyze the main events, with their testimony and their comments. To clore this website, diversed and coloured, here are the impressions of some of them about this edition 2008 and their best memories.

London skylines change, costs soar

Ségolène F24 — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 10:30:39 +0200

With its outstanding score on Beijing medal's table, the United Kingdom has shown it is ready for the 2012 London Games. The GB team has harvested one of its best crops since 1908 with some 47 medals, including 19 gold ones. They were hoping to improve on their performance in Athens and land the 8th position on the final score board but and in the end they shot up to 4th.

Chris Hoy, a cyclist and triple-gold medalist, has become the UK's star athlete. The 14-year old diver Tom Daley has also shown that a new generation of UK sportsmen is ready.

In London, Olympic sites are changing the city's skyline. London taxpayers are glad to see the construction is on schedule but aren't quite so happy to see the spiraling costs of the operation. Initially costs were estimated at 4.2 billion. Today, costs have reached 11.7 billion euros.

'Experts' in gold

Emmanuel F24 — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:43:52 +0200

In the end, it was to be gold. They did not deserve any less. The French handball team made sports history by climbing onto the highest reach of the podium, after clinching bronze in 1992. France ends the Games in the best manner by winning its 40th medal.

Who pays for our "ambassadors"?

Emmanuel F24 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 13:11:30 +0200

"Olympic athletes are our country's ambassadors", said Gianni Petrucci, president of the Italian Olympic Committee (Coni). "It would be normal they receive a special attention," he concluded. Petrucci was pointing to the taxes medal winners have to pay; a levy he wishes to lift.

Italian athletes are awarded €140.000 for a gold medal, €75.000 for a silver and 50.000€ for a bronze. Yet, after tax, they get only half the reward. The other half is taken by the State.

But what they get is still more than what French medal winners get.
In France, Olympic medals bonuses are tax exempted, but they 'only' earn €50.000 for gold, €20.000 for silver and €13.000 for bronze.

Although some countries are ready to splash over 400.000€ for a gold medal, as the war-stricken Georgia, France has opted for softer incentives, such as tax exemption on image rights. These amount to a present of 32 million euros, paid for by the Ministry of Sports.

But before their rise to fame draws in money from sponsors, who pays for our sports 'ambassadors'?

Athlete marks first protest action over Tibet

Ségolène F24 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:05:00 +0200

The supposedly burning issue of human rights hasn't caused much of a stir in Beijing during the Olympic Games. Yet, on the eve of Games' close, a single athlete expressed his support for Tibet. Poland's weightlifter Szymon Kolecki shaved his head.

Moroccan or Bahraini?

Emmanuel F24 — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:48:45 +0200

The success of Rachid Ramzi, Moroccan by birth but Bahraini by adoption, has provoked lively controversy between bloggers over who should claim responsibility for his victory.

The athlete was the first to offer the Emirate state a world title at the 2005 championship in Helsinki, as well as a gold medal in Beijing – even though he ran under Morocco’s green and red before 2002.

So which country gets the titles? Morocco - the country that discovered and encouraged his talent? Or Bahrain - the land that offered him everything he needed to succeed?

The Moroccan Athletic Federation refused to comment on his achievement.

BMX in Blue

Emmanuel F24 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:15:12 +0200

France's Anne-Caroline Chausson and Laetitia Le Corguillé clinched the gold and silver medals in BMX, which made its debut in Beijing.

In the last curve of the Laoshan circuit, Anne-Caroline Chausson was nearly knocked over by double world champion Brit Shanaze Reade, who eventually fell, leaving the road open for Laetitia Le Corguillé to take the silver medal.

The men were not as lucky. Damien Godet bit the dust in the final, which he never finished. Thomas Allier ended in the quarter final.

To the staff of the French team, the women's wins provided immense satisfaction - especially for Fabrice Vettoretti, France's BMX coach.

'Two champions in BMX' posted by FRANCE 24 on YouTube

The Beijing Olympics : A gold medal for audience numbers

Emmanuel F24 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 07:01:03 +0200

China is fighting hard for a gold in every event at these Olympics. Even for audience figures. "The Beijing Olympics are being watched in more than 200 countries," the Global Times proudly announces. "That's more than three times the audience for the Athens Olympics"

It should be said that in the most populous country in the World, everyone is glued to the TV. "Even when people are at work, they are watching the Olympics," continues the Global Times, which also points out that these Games "are the first in history to be broadcast not only on television, but also on the internet and mobile phones."

A point not lost on magazine Sohu IT, which says, "Thanks to the internet, the Beijing Olympics will have the largest number of viewers in the history of the Games."

"A world record" states the daily Gui Yang "More than one and a half billion people are watching the Beijing Olympics."

The games are also stoking an unprecedented media battle in China between national television network CCTV and local TV stations. CCTV may have the exclusive rights on showing the Games, with 90% market share at peak times, but local stations are fighting back by "raising the number of special Olympic programs, and inviting Olympians on as guests to increase viewing figures... But the battle between the local stations and CCTV is fierce." explains Huaxia Shibao.

Viewing figures are important for all the channels, with the Games expected to generate some 200 million euros worth of advertising during the two weeks of competition.

Are their records humanly possible?

Emmanuel F24 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:05:57 +0200

Jamaica sprinter Usain Bolt has shattered the previous 100m and 200m records in a way never seen before. His female Jamaican counterparts Shelly-Ann Fraser, Kerron Stewart and Sherone Simpson have hoisted their national flags on all three steps of the 100m podium.
Michael Phelps now boasts twelve gold medals.

Their feats are extraordinary. But are they humanly possible?

"Everyone wants to show the world China is ready to welcome them"

Emmanuel F24 — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 09:49:24 +0200

Right outside our hotel, from early morning until after midnight, there is a very straight line of Olympic volunteers. Neatly kitted out in their blue and white uniforms they stand, at evenly-spaced distances, looking straight ahead.

Today, exceptionally and perhaps because there is lashing rain, some are standing close together under umbrellas. Up until now it had struck me how rigid they were, never slouching or chatting.

Some organisers put the total figure of official volunteers at 300,000, with 75,000 lucky ones being stationed near, though not necessarily in, the Olympic Stadiums.

The official volunteers have given up their summer to help China put a friendly face on the Games, but even people who did not get picked are trying to find ways to show to the world that China is ready to welcome them.

'Volunteers using their skills for Games' posted by FRANCE 24 on YouTube

Young 'Experts' versus old 'Crazies'

Emmanuel F24 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:38:40 +0200

Without a doubt, the old generation who called themselves the "crazies" marked the history of French handball forever. They were the first-ever French handball team to win an Olympic medal in Barcelona, and then became world vice-champion in 1993 and world champion in 1995, but finished fourth at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

Jackson Richardson, Philippe Gardent and other Fédérick Volle managed by Daniel Constantini, lifted France among handball’s creme de la creme.

In Beijing, success’ continuity is in the hands of a new generation who call themselves the 'experts'. They are a talented group with exceptional character, eager to honour their role models, but also ready to surpass their achievements.

Olympics are no treat for Beijing’s illegal workers

Ségolène Team Observers — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:59:27 +0200

Photo: Kevin German

For most inhabitants of Beijing, the long-awaited Olympics are a unique opportunity for rejoicing and pride. Yet for the city's numerous illegal workers, the Games are tantamount to a threat of expulsion.

One of our Observers in the Chinese capital stumbled upon the arrest of a street hawker. Though he was himself handled roughly by the police, he managed to take a few pictures and post them on his blog.

With crowds of street hawkers a familiar site in the streets of Beijing, this man's arrest probably had something to do with the ongoing crackdown on illegal workers. About one quarter of the city's population does not hold the residence permits required to live in the Chinese capital. While authorities used to turn a blind-eye on these illegal workers, this is no longer the case during major events such as the Olympics.

Why are 'lefties' simply the best?

Emmanuel F24 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 10:38:17 +0200

Yet again, a number of “lefties” – or left-handed people - have taken the top spots in fencing. Benjamin Kleibrink won gold in the foil event; Mariel Zabunis won gold in saber; Ana Maria Branza won silver in épée, the team of Robert Andrzejuk and Motyka won silver in épée, Alfred Rota won bronze as part of an épée team. And don’t forget the eight lefties who took the top eight spots in men’s foil at the Moscow Olympics. What makes the lefties win?

Olympics: "Cheer Beijing Workers" drafted in to fill empty seats

Ségolène Team Observers — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:00:55 +0200

Photo Kevin German

US photoblogger Kevin German took pictures of a gymnasium in Beijing just before the start of a weightlifting contest. He noticed that most seats were empty... until the arrival of professional supporters.

No gold medal for the Shanghai Stock Exchange

Ségolène F24 — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:01:03 +0200

The Shanghai stock exchange has been in freefall since the opening ceremony of the Olympics. The composite Index has fallen as much as 11% since August 8, and is now at its lowest level in 20 months.