BEIJING - National Stadium (80,000)

[flyingman]

i got it few minutes ago.enjoy it plz

[Giorgio]

thats the old proposals isnt it?

[eddyk]

Funny thing is...The actuall olympic stadium they are using...isnt even there.


And how come weve never seen constructions pics of it anyway?

[flyingman]

sorry ,i make a mistake

[Giorgio]

Originally Posted by eddyk

Funny thing is...The actuall olympic stadium they are using...isnt even there.


And how come weve never seen constructions pics of it anyway?

Its top secret Area 51 Stuff.

[Madman]

Originally Posted by eddyk

Funny thing is...The actuall olympic stadium they are using...isnt even there.


And how come weve never seen constructions pics of it anyway?

Yeah i ahve been on the BOCOG, IOC, Herzog and de Meuron websites and more and still we dont have renders of what the stadium is going to look like nor construction pictures of it. Surely there must be some on the net somewhere?!

[Giorgio]

there are renders

[Andrew]

how is the flying saucer supposed to stay in the air in the first pic?

[savas]

i heard that there are serious problems with coverage of Beijing 2008 for International Media... It is illegal for foreign journalists in China to interview any Chinese citizens or travel outside Beijing without government permission...

[Giorgio]

was that comment neccessary?

Lets not do what others done to us

[Mo Rush]

Originally Posted by savas

i heard that there are serious problems with coverage of Beijing 2008 for International Media... It is illegal for foreign journalists in China to interview any Chinese citizens or travel outside Beijing without government permission...

this is true....

Sunday, August 07, 2005

Coverage Of Beijing 2008 Difficult For International Media
Posted 2:12 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

The Australian reports that Beijing 2008 officials won’t do any phone interviews with international media in case they are from the outlawed spiritual group Falun Gong.

According to the newspaper, an interview with Jiang Xiaoyu, BOCOG executive vice-president in charge of media and communications for its most recent article had been arranged months ago.

Jiang told The Australian, “for example the Falun Gong cult is illegal in China but they have their own journalists”. But he added that there won’t be any problem if there are written requests for interviews.

A year ago a Beijing-based Associated Press photographer was beaten up by a plainclothes policeman while photographing the violent scuffles, which broke out after China was defeated by Japan in the Asian Cup soccer final, reports the newspaper. Although the policeman was photographed no known disciplinary action was taken even though there was evidence provided and protests to the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Public Security by the Foreign Correspondents Club of China.

It is illegal for foreign journalists in China to interview any Chinese citizens or travel outside Beijing without government permission, says the newspaper, adding that those two rules are frequently used by provincial party functionaries to detain foreign journalists.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been urging BOCOG to get outside help on dealing with the media, but has not been too successful. The BOCOG media office confirmed during the weekend it is looking to appoint a leading international public relations firm by the end of this year. Australian IOC member Kevan Gosper, deputy chairman of the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the Beijing 2008 Games “from our point of view that would not be a bad thing”.

Beijing 2008 is also hesitating to seek outside help in its security planning. Peter Phillips, a former key adviser to Beijing’s 2008 bid, said Beijing’s aim is to provide effective security of the Games at a lower cost than Athens and “without making it look like they run the joint like an armed camp”. He says key decisions on systems, procurement and training need to be made urgently, but “nothing appears to be happening” because the Chinese are so worried about appearing not to be able to manage security themselves. As a result Olympic venues are going up without security features. They will have to be built in later, which will be “very expensive and probably sub-optimal” said Phillips.


Tuesday, August 09, 2005

IOC Responds To Reporters Without Borders
Posted 12:54 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

Following the receipt of a petition Monday from Reporters Without Borders asking the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to pressure China to allow more freedom of expression ahead of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said the committee was responsible first and foremost for the 17 day-competition, but she noted that part of that task involves ensuring media can do their work.

The Associated Press reports Davies saying, “the host city contract agreement clearly shows that for the 17 days of competition the roughly 20,000 accredited journalists coming from around the world will be able to fulfill their job reporting on the sporting competition and the Olympic Games activity”.

Meanwhile Beijing is continuing with its preparations for the 2008 Games. Monday Beijing 2008 organizers began soliciting designs from sculptors and designers all over the world via China’s embassies and consulates overseas and other international agencies and institutions, to leave a legacy for Beijing

Organizers will choose 290 pieces of work from all entries in the first half of 2006 before making three replicas of each selected entry, to tour the major cities across China.

In the second-round selection experts will choose 110 pieces through public votes and appraisals.

Twenty-nine designs will be chosen for the gold, silver and bronze awards.

Details will be available at Beijing 2008’s official Web site at www.beijing2008.com.


Monday, August 08, 2005

IOC Petitioned Over Press Freedom Ahead Of Beijing 2008 Games
Posted 12:08 pm ET (GamesBids.com)

Three years before the start of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games, two representatives of Reporters Without Borders, handed a letter to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne with a petition signed by 4,000 people calling on the IOC’s member countries to put pressure on China to allow more freedom of expression.

A media release from the press freedom organization says it has on several occasions requested a meeting with IOC President Jacques Rogge to discuss these issues, but to date has not received a reply.

The release states that aside from the hundreds of blocked foreign news Web sites, the public security department keeps foreign correspondents under surveillance and does not hesitate to detain, threaten or even rough up those who violate the “sacrosanct” “Guide for correspondents working in China”.

It sites examples of journalists being arrested, stripped naked, questioned and beaten, and says more generally the freedom of movement of foreign journalists is being restricted.

Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Robert Menard said, “the IOC has a duty to influence the Chinese government’s policy towards Chinese and foreign journalists. Failure to act on this crucial point would be a momentous failure in the history of the Olympic Games”.

Reporters Without Borders is continuing to call for a boycott of the 2008 Games because they say the repression of dissident movements and ethnic or religious minorities has never stopped since Beijing was awarded those Games in July 2001.

Thousands have signed the petition, which states, “in view of the massive human rights violations in China, I think it is unacceptable if not dangerous to allow the Chinese government to organise the most prestigious sports event”.

[londonindyboy]

looks amazing

[Madman]

Originally Posted by .::G!oRgOs::.

there are renders

Of the winner of the competition entry but we haven't got renders (or not readily available) of the ammended stadium design.

[high_flyer]

I thought the chosen design was the one that looked like a giant birds nest?

[Christos7]

Originally Posted by savas

i heard that there are serious problems with coverage of Beijing 2008 for International Media... It is illegal for foreign journalists in China to interview any Chinese citizens or travel outside Beijing without government permission...

That wouldn't have been such a bad idea the year leading up to the games for us.


I can't believe they picked the stadium they picked when they could have gone with any one of these SPECTACULAR designs!!


Are they planning on changing it at all?

[Madman]

Originally Posted by high_flyer

I thought the chosen design was the one that looked like a giant birds nest?

It is but they have changed some of the design (like the roof) to make it cheaper, so the stadium will look quite different from the renders we have seen.

[www.sercan.de]

any u/c pics?
3 years till Olympics 2008

[TeKnO_Lx]

very nice

[Starscraper]

Has even been started yet? I hope its UC by next spring because I might be going to Beijing next March.

[tootshibbard]

I remember supporters of a Beijing Olympics (even the IOC itself if I recall correctlY) saying how before the nomination how it would help open China up and how China would feel it had to be on "good behaivor". That it would help eventually open it up to the outside and democratize it. I knew it was a bunch of bull then and was disspointed some actually tried to see this line, but I had hoped they would be right in the end.

These games will be nothing more then a propaganda tool on a massive scale for the Chinease leaders and a chance for them to treat their people like children and not involve them in the political process.