Chinese Whispers : Telford Live

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With Beijing 2008 just round the corner, I wonder why some people are so obsessed with the idea that the Olympics being in China is somehow shattering the ideals behind what is otherwise a noble expression of human achievement?In the first place, the Olympics are and always have been about attempting to elevate yourself above your fellow humans just because you can run faster, throw further, hit harder or whatever. Even if there was some element of celebrating humanity in the Olympic ethos, it’s been completely destroyed by the policy of only allowing those who can reach certain pre-ordained standards to compete.Secondly, the attitude towards China in the West is one of staggering hypocrisy. If pollution is the issue of the day, China is seen as the benchmark - ‘China’s doing it, so why can’t we?’ On the other hand, if it’s illegal occupations, child labour, political oppression or execution up for debate (things that we in the West like to pretend we’re no longer party to) then China is the big bad wolf.Finally, I’m sick to death of (mostly) well-paid athletes justifying their own self-aggrandisement with the message ‘it’s all about the sport’. That wasn't the case in Ancient Greece, in Nazi Germany or in the 1980s when the major boycotts occurred and it's certainly not the case now. If it is about the sport why are only 2 of the 62 sponsors listed on the Games’ official website linked directly to sporting equipment? Or are Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Budweiser and Snickers considered paragons of a healthy lifestyle in corporate newspeak?