Olympics News

Kosovo's sporting fraternity hopes a Kosovo team will be competing at the Beijing Olympics.

Jackie Chan saddled up for a video to promote the Beijing Olympics' equestrian event. via Cleveland.com

“Taking him to the World Indoors deprives young, upwardly mobile committed athletes of this key development opportunity.”

Dwain Chambers on Tuesday won his battle to be included in Great Britain's team for next month's World Indoor Championships in Valencia, Spain, despite "unanimous opposition" among the team selectors. via Hindustan Times

Paul Hamm fell, maybe just to prove he's human. Even that couldn't derail another remarkable performance Saturday night, as the defending Olympic champion breezed to a victory at the Winter Cup Challenge and again showed what a power he could be six months from now in Beijing.

He finished with a two-day score of 185.85, a full 7.25 better than runner-up Raj Bhavsar. Hamm's only error in the finals, the second phase of his first full meet since he won the all-around in Athens, was a bad landing on his vault. Read more

“An athlete who decides to lift up his team shirt to show a 'Free Tibet”

British Olympic athletes must sign a new clause in their contracts prohibiting politically sensitive remarks or gestures during the Beijing Games.

'The reality is, given the level of political scrutiny of the world's media on these games and the way China will handle them, the BOA felt it was sensible and proper to flag that rule to our athletes,' British Olympic Association communications director Graham Mewson said Sunday.

The International Olympic Committee already has a rule that states that 'no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas.' Read more

“She just has a feel and touch.”

Lindsey Vonn joined Picabo Street and Daron Rahlves as the most successful American downhill skiers. Among current competitors, she has no equal.

Vonn blew away the field Saturday for her fourth win in seven downhills this season. It was the ninth downhill victory of her career, matching the mark of Street and Rahlves.

'Lindsey is pretty much unbeatable now,' U.S. downhill coach Alex Hoedlmoser said. 'The only thing that could have beaten her here was herself.'

Using a much straighter line than any other skier, Vonn covered the 1.84-mile Kandahar Banchetta course in 1 minute, 38.86 seconds. The race announcer yelled, 'She's a speed train!' as Vonn posted one split time faster than another. Read more

“He's up at 5 a.m. every day. He's what horse riding is all about. I want to congratulate him with all my heart.”

A 66-year-old equestrian rider is poised to become Japan's oldest Olympic representative when he climbs in the saddle at this year's Beijing Games. via Reuters

“Relief work will continue to face challenges, posing a tough task.”

By John Ruwitch

CHENZHOU, China (Reuters) - Millions remained stranded in China on Monday ahead of the biggest holiday of the year as President Hu Jintao chaired an emergency meeting to discuss the worst winter weather in half a century.

The freezing storms have killed scores of people and left travelers stranded ahead of the Lunar New Year, the only opportunity many people have in China to take a holiday all year.

It has also brought China unwanted negative publicity ahead of the Summer Olympics in Beijing later this year. Read more

“For the last couple of years, I've had nagging injuries that have stropped my training. So I think it's better to just call it quits.”

Former Olympic sprinter and Kansas City, Kan., native Maurice Greene announced his retirement on Monday. via KMOV-TV Saint Louis

Bode Miller, of the United States, reacts after winning a men's World Cup Super-Combined race, in Val d'Isere, France, Sunday, Feb. via Denver Post

“I cannot exclude that we will have elections in April”

Former World Anti-Doping Agency chief Dick Pound has been nominated for president of the highest court in sports. via SI.com

A 17-year-old boy picked by China as the reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest figure, pledged his support for the Communist Party in a rare public appearance, state media said.

Gyaltsen Norbu paid a 'formal visit' Thursday to China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo, at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, the seat of China's legislature, the official Xinhua News Agency said.

The reason for the meeting was not immediately clear, but it took place amid increased sensitivity ahead of this summer's Beijing Olympics over what critics say are China's continued attempts to subvert Tibetan Buddhist culture and strengthen Beijing's hold on the Himalayan region. Read more

“Outsourcing has gotten easier, quality has gotten higher and the price is cheaper.”

Beijing and the Olympics are going Kosher.

The capital's only Kosher restaurant opened 10 months ago, drawing the small Jewish expatriate community, tourists, curious Chinese and even a few Muslims. Business has been so good at Dini's Kosher Restaurant, that part-owner Lewis Sperber is talking about setting up a second branch closer to the Olympic venues in northern Beijing.

Like many restaurateurs and bar owners, Sperber is hoping to benefit with as many as 550,000 foreigners expected to descend on Beijing for the Aug. 8-24 Games. Read more

“The Chinese believe anger harms your liver. There have been too many fights, too much bleeding.”

Nearly two dozen plainclothes police swarmed the apartment on a December afternoon, confiscating laptops, cell phones, bank cards and books. via KCBY-TV Coos Bay

“We will be able to tell the organizers: the winds are too strong, you cannot do it on this day, or, you can do it on this day.”

By Nick Mulvenney

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has successfully managed to stop light rainfall in experiments aimed at guaranteeing a dry opening ceremony at August's Olympic Games, officials said on Wednesday.

With no roof on the showpiece Bird's Nest stadium, the Beijing Meteorological Bureau has been charged with developing methods of preventing wet weather spoiling what promises to be a spectacular start to the Games on the evening of August 8.

"Our experiments with rain mitigation have been aimed at light rain," Zhang Qian, head of weather manipulation at the bureau, told a news conference. Read more

“I think logically that (playing with Paes) would be the best choice for the country; we want to win a medal”

MAHESH Bhupathi believes he and Leander Paes will have no trouble putting their off-the-court differences behind them at August's Olympic Games and says they can win a medal for India. via Shanghai Daily

“It was both. I don't think [Wariner] was working independent of his representation.

'I haven't talked to them, but it was a joint thing between the two of them to redo the deal.”

Barring a sudden meeting of the minds, track and field's star teacher and pupil have parted ways.

Clyde Hart, the personal coach for reigning Olympic men's 400-meter champion Jeremy Wariner, announced Tuesday that the two could not reach contract terms for 2008. Hart coached Wariner for two years at Baylor and was his personal coach after Wariner left Baylor early.

Hart, who coached Wariner on a series of one-year contracts, was unavailable for comment Tuesday but released a statement. The split comes as the 2008 Olympics in Beijing approach. Read more