No happy, cheering crowd greeted the Olympic torch last week in Jakarta, Indonesia. Instead, 100 protesters met the flame as it arrived at Bung Karno Stadium under cover of darkness and heavy security. Only invited guests were allowed to line the short relay route, which was guarded by 3,000 security officers. About 5,000 people were invited to welcome the torch. "I am excited to witness history," said Andrea Putri, 15. "This kind of thing does not happen every day."

The torch's journey has been anything but ordinary. Protests broke out at the lighting ceremony and have persisted throughout the torch's 85,000-mile tour. In Australia, on Thursday, pro-Chinese demonstrators clashed with other protesters. The conflicts will likely continue in the months leading up to the August start of the Games in Beijing, China.

China, a growing economic superpower, has one-fifth of the world's population. The large country had hoped that hosting the Games would highlight its strengths. Instead, the Games have shed a critical light on China's poor human rights record and oppressive rule. China keeps tight control over its citizens, who are unable to freely elect national leaders or openly criticize the government.

Recent events have also focused international attention on the Chinese government's treatment of the Tibetan people. China imposed a strict rule on Tibet in 1950. Tibet was largely independent before that time. In the 1960s, China cracked down on the Tibetan language and culture and the Buddhist religion. Earlier this year, the conflict between China and Tibet grew violent again. Protesters demanding a free Tibet have appeared throughout the torch's tour. But despite international pressure on the country to ease up on Tibet, China continues to play by its own rules.

The 2008 Olympics aren't the first to draw worldwide attention to something other than sports (see "An Olympic Hero"). Politics have been a part of the Games many times before. From 1964 to 1992, South Africa's athletes were not allowed to compete in the Olympics. The country was being punished for its policies, which kept blacks and whites apart. In 1980, the U.S. did not send athletes to the Olympics in Moscow, which was then the capital of the Soviet Union, to protest that country's invasion of Afghanistan. Four years later, the Soviets and their allies stayed home when the U.S. hosted the Games in Los Angeles, California.

So far, no nation plans to boycott the Beijing Games. But some critics of China's policies believe that boycotting the opening ceremonies would send a powerful message that the country needs to change its ways. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have said that they will not attend.

Others, including U.S. President George W. Bush, believe that boycotting is not the way to get China to change. "I don't view the Olympics as a political event," Bush says. "I view it as a sporting event."

The opening ceremonies kick off on August 8. The 302 athletic competitions will be held in 31 sites across the capital, and in six venues outside of Beijing. The main stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, cost $450 million to build and seats 91,000 people. The neighboring swimming arena, known as the Water Cube, has brilliant blue walls.

The Athletes' Village will be home to nearly 17,000 athletes and officials. The 22 buildings that make up the Athletes' Village get their heat and hot water from solar-powered systems.

Tough rules go into effect in July in an effort to clean the city's heavily polluted air. Factories will close, building projects will stop and plans are in place to cut back on Beijing's 3.3 million cars. The city has also banned smoking in many public places, including restaurants, offices and schools.

Athletes are training hard for the Games. Members of the U.S. team are trying to stay focused on winning, not on international conflicts (see "Going for the Gold" on page 6). "We are athletes, and we're going there to play a sport," says Abby Wambach, of the U.S. women's soccer team.

"The Olympics are about competition," says U.S. gymnast David Durante. "It's about the athletes and bringing the world together."

Andrea Delbanco 

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May 2, 2008 World Report