World readies for Rio Games
Source:Global Times Published: 2016/8/6 1:08:39
Netizens praise 2008 Beijing efforts
Chinese audiences are looking forward to the Rio Games, together with some other 3 billion people tuning in around the world as Brazil lifts the curtain on the first ever Olympic Games in South America, although Chinese have become less passionate about the event after Beijing's successful 2008 Games.
Organizers are hoping the start of the Games will erase months of bad publicity for Rio - from polluted water to faulty plumbing at the athletes village to worries about the Zika virus - all against the backdrop of a brutal economic downturn, according to Reuters.
Security challenges in the sprawling beachside city are at the forefront of many people's mind, not only because of Rio's decades-old reputation for violent street crime, but also after a spate of deadly attacks at big and small celebrations from Europe to the US.
"The 2008 Olympics in Beijing was perfect and cannot be transcended," Sina Weibo user "Dingding dangdang Dongdong" commented, adding that he was full of pride looking back at the grand opening ceremony eight years ago.
Many netizens have expressed similar sentiments, comparing the successful 2008 event with the problems around the current Games, especially security issues.
Chinese are concerned over the safety of their own teams after several Chinese athletes, delegation members, media workers and tourists have fallen victim to Rio's crime woes.
Many social media users ridiculed the Games in Brazil as the worst or poorest ever.
"Coming back alive" should be Chinese athletes' priority, one Web user commented.
Some Net users claimed that attendance at Chinese athletes attend the Rio Games was similar to the hardships undergone by Xuanzang, a historical Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk and also a character in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Chinese classic Journey To The West, in bringing Buddhist scriptures from India to China.
The Chinese Embassy in Brazil warned Chinese citizens on July 30 of possible robberies and theft in the Olympic host country.
Shoddy accommodation has been another target of Chinese Internet users. Table tennis player Fan Zhendong posted a video showing him putting up a shower curtain with his teammates late July.
Although organization in all host cities is flawed to one extent or another, the problems seem greater in Rio, Ding Bocheng, who participated in organizing the Summer Games in 2004 and 2008 and is part of the team for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday.
Construction of certain projects were completed too late, which may influence athletes' preparation and adaptation to the playing field, Ding explained.
"Nevertheless, the technical hardware, such as the television relay link, is unlikely to go wrong in Rio since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reviews the construction process every quarter for five to six years after a host city wins the bid," Chen Zhongxing, who was responsible for communication maintenances at the Beijing Olympics, told the Global Times on Friday.
Chen expected Rio to hold a successful Olympic Games as a host city must meet the IOC's detailed standards.
Lost appeal
However, the shoddy conditions are not the only factor that discourages Chinese to pay as much attention to the Games as before, He Wenyi, executive director of the China Institute for Sports Value under Peking University, told the Global Times on Friday.
The zeal for the Olympic Games and for winning gold medals among Chinese has faded after China held an impressive event at a massive cost in 2008 when Chinese athletes did their utmost to obtain the most gold medals on their home soil, He noted.
"Besides, groups of sports enthusiasts are more specifically divided in terms of different types of sports. For instance, soccer fans want to watch the World Cup, instead of the Olympic Games while basketball fans prefer NBA games," He said.
A stamp collector displays a set of special stamps issued for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games by China Post in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province on Friday. The patterns on the stamps show Women's Volleyball and Men's Relay, two Olympic events. Photo: CFP
At an evening ceremony in the famed Maracana soccer stadium, Brazil declared open the 31st Summer Olympic Games. They will run until August 21.Organizers are hoping the start of the Games will erase months of bad publicity for Rio - from polluted water to faulty plumbing at the athletes village to worries about the Zika virus - all against the backdrop of a brutal economic downturn, according to Reuters.
Security challenges in the sprawling beachside city are at the forefront of many people's mind, not only because of Rio's decades-old reputation for violent street crime, but also after a spate of deadly attacks at big and small celebrations from Europe to the US.
"The 2008 Olympics in Beijing was perfect and cannot be transcended," Sina Weibo user "Dingding dangdang Dongdong" commented, adding that he was full of pride looking back at the grand opening ceremony eight years ago.
Many netizens have expressed similar sentiments, comparing the successful 2008 event with the problems around the current Games, especially security issues.
Chinese are concerned over the safety of their own teams after several Chinese athletes, delegation members, media workers and tourists have fallen victim to Rio's crime woes.
Many social media users ridiculed the Games in Brazil as the worst or poorest ever.
"Coming back alive" should be Chinese athletes' priority, one Web user commented.
Some Net users claimed that attendance at Chinese athletes attend the Rio Games was similar to the hardships undergone by Xuanzang, a historical Tang Dynasty (618-907) monk and also a character in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) Chinese classic Journey To The West, in bringing Buddhist scriptures from India to China.
The Chinese Embassy in Brazil warned Chinese citizens on July 30 of possible robberies and theft in the Olympic host country.
Shoddy accommodation has been another target of Chinese Internet users. Table tennis player Fan Zhendong posted a video showing him putting up a shower curtain with his teammates late July.
Although organization in all host cities is flawed to one extent or another, the problems seem greater in Rio, Ding Bocheng, who participated in organizing the Summer Games in 2004 and 2008 and is part of the team for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Beijing, told the Global Times on Friday.
Construction of certain projects were completed too late, which may influence athletes' preparation and adaptation to the playing field, Ding explained.
"Nevertheless, the technical hardware, such as the television relay link, is unlikely to go wrong in Rio since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reviews the construction process every quarter for five to six years after a host city wins the bid," Chen Zhongxing, who was responsible for communication maintenances at the Beijing Olympics, told the Global Times on Friday.
Chen expected Rio to hold a successful Olympic Games as a host city must meet the IOC's detailed standards.
Lost appeal
However, the shoddy conditions are not the only factor that discourages Chinese to pay as much attention to the Games as before, He Wenyi, executive director of the China Institute for Sports Value under Peking University, told the Global Times on Friday.
The zeal for the Olympic Games and for winning gold medals among Chinese has faded after China held an impressive event at a massive cost in 2008 when Chinese athletes did their utmost to obtain the most gold medals on their home soil, He noted.
"Besides, groups of sports enthusiasts are more specifically divided in terms of different types of sports. For instance, soccer fans want to watch the World Cup, instead of the Olympic Games while basketball fans prefer NBA games," He said.