The Olympics represents the noble ideal of sports overcoming the barriers of politics with champion athletes of all nations gathering in the spirit of sportsmanship.
However, the stakes go beyond who wins the gold medal. Shortly after each competition, nations begin to vie afresh for the bid to host the next game. Winning the vote to host is not merely an honor, it is a political conquest in global recognition. It also spins revenue from the influx of tourists, participants and Olympic related paraphernalia. However, all that glitters is not gold. For some residents of Beijing, the site of Olympic 2008, the impact of winning the bid cuts deep and far into their personal lives. The capital is expecting to pour billions of dollars into sports facilities and related upgrades such as roads, public transport, landscaping and sanitation.