China

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.

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.

"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

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.

Usain Bolt, how far can he go?

Ségolène F24 — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 14:03:45 +0200

Usain Bolt crossed the finish line easily and turned to the crowd, savouring his victory. Formerly a 200-metre specialist, Jamaica's Bolt won the Olympic Games men's 100-metre gold medal, crushing everything in his way.

First, he broke his own record, set in May in New York, by 0.03 seconds. He also smashed his opponents Richard Thompson of Trinidad and Tobago, who won the silver with a time of 9.89 seconds, and American Walter Dix, who won the bronze at 9.91 seconds.

Jamaican Asafa Powell finished fifth in the final at 9.95 seconds.

World champion Tyson Gay of the United States did not even make the final, finishing fifth in his semi in 10.15 seconds.

Bolt's win gave Jamaica its first medal of the games. He is also running in the 200 metres and hopes to be the first man to win the 100-metre and 200-metre Olympic double since Carl Lewis in 1984.

Keeping up appearances

Emmanuel F24 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:31:26 +0200

Beijing is expecting 500,000 tourists this summer. In order to host the best games, the city has prepared itself to welcome visitors in the best manner. But theory is always easier than reality. Welcome to Beijing!

Laure Manaudou adrift

Ségolène F24 — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 23:50:19 +0200

It was a crushing defeat. Defending champion Laure Manaudou finishing eight seconds behind the gold medal, Britain’s Rebecca Adlington, in the final of the women’s 400m freestyle. The shock was all the greater given that France’s star swimmer was in the lead during the first 150 metres. Meanwhile, the French team found some consolation in Coralie Balmy’s unexpected fourth place, just short of the podium. Today’s Laure Manaudou is but a pale shadow of the athlete who took Athens by storm just four years ago. A few hours after the 400m race, Manaudou’s bitter rival, Italy’s Federica Pellegrini, added salt to injury by breaking the Frenchwoman’s world record in the heats of the 200m freestyle race.

A strangely quiet city

Emmanuel F24 — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 20:42:59 +0200

There are 16 million people living in Beijing, not including the 450,000 foreigners who came for the Games. One-hundred-thousand police officers are deployed around tourist venues, 120,000 vigilantes and 3,000 security members were set to patrol in the underground.

However, these important security measures didn’t prevent the murder of an American tourist, a relative of the US volleyball team coach. The man was stabbed outside the historical site of the Drum and Bell Tower. His wife was seriously wounded. The man involved, a 47 year-old Chinese man, killed himself after the act, by jumping from the Tower.

Between instating hyper-security measures and the exhorting locals to leave the city, the Chinese government has changed the face of the capital. Take a tour of an empty Beijing.

'Les Bleus' still waiting for the magic to kick in

Emmanuel F24 — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:06:26 +0200

Anne-Lise Touya, Frederique Jossinet, Franck Dumoulin... Theses athletes were supposed to mount the podium in Beijing. While they at one time did win an Olympic medal or world title, they completely failed today, the first day of the Olympic Games. The goal of the French delegation, to win at least 35 medals, seems quite distant.

There were three French women competing in the women's individual sabre, and the all three failed it the first round: the double world champion (in 2001 and 2005) Anne-Lise Touya, Léonore Perrus et Carole Vergne.

French judoka Frederique Jossinet was beaten by a Japanese opponent in the first round in less than 30 seconds. However, the silver medallist in Athens was a serious gold medal hope in her category under 48 kg.

Gold medallist at the 2000 Sydney Games, Franck Dumoulin, a medal favourite in Beijing, finished a disappointing 25th in men's 10-metre air pistol. Walter Lapeyre is the first Frenchman with a nice seventh-position ranking.