The Olympics, As Always, Set To Make Big News

I am a big believer in the idealism of the Olympics, but I also know they never exist in a vacuum of international affairs or foreign policy impact. Over time, a number of major news stories have erupted during these global sporting events designed to place "...sport at the service of the harmonious development of man, with a view to encouraging the establishment of a peaceful society concerned with the preservation of human dignity."

Already in the run up to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, we have seen massive protests surrounding the global Olympic torch relay. And the Olympics have given many the opportunity to shine a spotlight on the Chinese government's role in Tibet, Darfur, and domestic human rights abuses.

The Chinese have tried to say the Games should exist separately from global policy discussions, but few are buying this logic. As Foreign Policy Passport points out in "The Olympics aren't political? Please.," even the Chinese can't follow that rule. French philosopher Bernard-Henri Lévy compared the 2008 Games to the ones presided over by Adolph Hitler in Germany. "If we accept going to Beijing for the games, it will be like in Berlin in 1936--games of blood and shame," he said.

If history is any indicator, the Olympics in Beijing will continue to generate news on both the front pages and the sports pages of the world's media outlets. Here is just a short list of some major news made at the modern Olympics.

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