currybetdotnet Olympics archive

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Athens 2004
Before and during the course of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing I've been writing a series of posts looking at the complicated history of politics, protest and dissent that have surrounded the modern Games since they were first held in Athens in 1896. On that occasion they were marked by an overt display of national pride by the hosts, and a protest run by Stamata Revithi who wanted women to be allowed to partake in the event. Athens...

Read the full post - Published August 20, 2008 in Greece, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Sydney 2000
To accompany the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games I've been writing a series of posts looking at the history of politics, protest and dissent since their modern beginning in Athens in 1896. The Games celebrating a century of modern Olympiads were marred by a terrorist attack by an American anti-abortion campaigner Eric Rudolf. He killed one person in an explosion at Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park. The next Olympics were also marking a significant numerical milestone - the dawning of the...

Read the full post - Published August 19, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Atlanta 1996
I've been writing a series of posts looking at the history of politics, protest and dissent at the Olympic Games. On two occasions that dissent has turned into murderous terrorism. In 1972 there was an attack on the Israeli delegation that left 11 dead. In 1996 it was domestic American terrorism that killed one person and wounded over 100 others, when a bomb was placed at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta. The bombing Alice Hawthorne was killed in Atlanta's...

Read the full post - Published August 18, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

The Olympic Swim-O-Matic on display in Macau
Unlike at Euro2008, where UEFA's top sponsors had billboards all over the stadia, one of the challenges of sponsoring or being a marketing partner at the Olympics is that you can't directly advertise within the sporting arenas themselves. Marketing activity has to take place away from the Games, and, as I saw in Macau, is at risk of being usurped by 'fake' Olympic branding. There was a lot of official marketing around as well, and Olympic timekeepers Omega had...

Read the full post - Published August 17, 2008 in Macau, Olympics

Macau presents for your enjoyment....Olympic horse-back fencing!
As I mentioned, I was in Macau during the build-up and start of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Although Macau is a 'Special Administrative Region' of China, and so under a different legislative framework, the area is still proud to be associated with hosting the Olympics. There are street signs and evidence of Olympic-related activity almost everywhere you go. Macau is an interesting area because of the mix of the Chinese population with the Portuguese heritage of the former colony....

Read the full post - Published August 16, 2008 in Macau, Olympics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Seoul 1988 & Barcelona 1992
As this years' Olympic Games have been progressing, I've been writing a series of posts looking at the complex history of politics, protest and dissent at the Olympics since their modern inception in 1896. The first two summer Olympiads held during the 1980s both suffered from Cold War boycotts. The US led a coalition of countries who refused to attend Moscow in 1980, and the Soviet Union and the countries in their sphere of influence stayed away from the...

Read the full post - Published August 15, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

Promotional Olympic leaflets in Macau
I was in Macau during the build-up and start of this year's Beijing Olympics, and, since it is one of China's "Special Administrative Regions", I really got a taste of what it was like to be in the host country. The British team stayed in Macau in the run-up to the Olympics, and we spotted quite a few people walking around with their Olympic accreditation badges and 'Team GB' shirts on. The reason they picked Macau was because it...

Read the full post - Published August 14, 2008 in Macau, Olympics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Los Angeles 1984
I've been writing a series of articles looking back at the history of politics, protest and dissent at the Olympic Games. In the last part I looked at the boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics, which was led by the USA in protest at Soviet military action in Afghanistan. Whilst that boycott is often now regarded as a principled, if misguided, action, most observers regard the corresponding boycott of the 1984 Olympics by those in the Soviet sphere of...

Read the full post - Published August 13, 2008 in Daily Mail, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Moscow 1980
I've been writing a series of posts looking at the history of protest, politics and dissent at the Olympic Games since their modern inception in 1896. From 1968 to 1984 the Games saw some of their most turbulent times. 1968 was marred by protests on the podiums and a massacre away from the stadium, 1972 was scarred by the appalling terrorist murders of 11 members of the Israeli Olympic delegation, and 1976 saw the first mass political boycott. The...

Read the full post - Published August 12, 2008 in Games, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Montreal 1976
With the Olympic Games being held in the People's Republic of China, there has been plenty of attention focussed on the Chinese record on human rights, the environment, and particularly the relationships between China and Tibet and Taiwan. Earlier this year the Olympic Torch Relay became a focus for political protest, and I've been writing a series of posts looking at the history of Olympic dissent. In the previous post in this series I looked at the lowest point...

Read the full post - Published August 11, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

Counterfeit Olympic branding in Macau

Published August 10, 2008 in Macau, Olympics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Munich 1972

Published August 9, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Mexico 1968

Published August 8, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

Introducing Olympic Fansivu

Published August 7, 2008 in Flickr, Olympics, Web

Latest Team GB news feed now on Chipwrapper...but not the BOA site

Published August 7, 2008 in Macau, Olympics, RSS, Web

'F' for 'Former', 'R' for 'Republic' or 'M' for 'the M word'?

Published August 7, 2008 in Greece, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: The post-war years 1948-1964

Published August 6, 2008 in London Olympics, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Berlin 1936

Published August 5, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

Introducing Olympic Chipwrapper

Published August 4, 2008 in Newspapers, Olympics, RSS, Search

A brief history of Olympic dissent: The inter-war years 1920-1932

Published August 3, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: The pre-war years 1900-1912

Published August 2, 2008 in London Olympics, Olympics, Politics

A brief history of Olympic dissent: Athens 1896

Published August 1, 2008 in Articles, Cyprus, Greece, Olympics, Politics, Popular, Turkey

60th anniversary of the 1948 London Olympics

Published July 29, 2008 in Football, London Olympics, Olympics, Walthamstow

2008 Olympic "Spambush" marketing

Published July 19, 2008 in 2010 World Cup, Football, Olympics, Web

100 years since the first London Olympics

Published April 27, 2008 in BBC, Football, London Olympics, Olympics

1906 Athens 'Intercalated' Olympic Games anniversary

Published April 22, 2008 in Greece, London Olympics, Olympics, Turkey

Propaganda, politics and censorship - The Olympic Torch Relay since 1936

Published April 6, 2008 in Olympics, Politics

Greece admits defeat against Olympic phone-tapping spies

Published January 23, 2008 in Greece, London Olympics, Olympics, Politics

Greece lets Athens Olympics domain names lapse

Published January 14, 2008 in Football, Greece, London Olympics, Olympics, Web

How many logos does one London Olympic Games need?

Published June 4, 2007 in London Olympics, Olympics

Olympic Round-Up

Published July 6, 2005 in DCMS, Football, London Olympics, Olympics, Walthamstow

Olympic Unveiling Ceremony at the BBC's Broadcast Centre

Published May 25, 2005 in BBC, Olympics

The 1908 Olympics in White City

Published May 17, 2005 in BBC, London Olympics, Olympics

A warped sense of loyalty

Published March 10, 2005 in Evening Standard, Football, London Olympics, Olympics, Politics

The Olympics have started on the BBC

Published August 14, 2004 in BBC, Greece, London Olympics, Olympics