In a new development within a struggle that has lasted centuries, the Chinese Government has announced that they have thwarted a sabotage attempt by the Uyghur people of northern China.  According to Chinese officials, Uyghurs were planning an attack on the olympic games with suicide bombers.  Representatives of the Uyghurs have said that these terrorism claims are meant to discredit the Uyghur people and make light of their protests.  Uyhgurs are an Islamic group of people from Turkish descent, and have wanted to carve out their own autonomous region for hundreds of years.  

As a countermeasure to these apparent threats, anti-aircraft missiles have been installed into the Olympic Station surrounding the Water cube and the Birds nest.

In the second olympic incident this decade, Iran has declined to compete against athletes from Israel.  The first such case was when judo world champion Arash Miresmaeili refused the match with Ehud Vaks from Israel.  The match was crucial to Iran's gold medal in the events, but Miresmaeili said he would not play to show his support for the Palestinian cause. 

The more recent case of exclusion was when Mohammad Alirezaei said that he would not compete in the 4th heat of the 100 mtr breaststroke, which included Israeli swimmer Tom Be'eri.  Alirezaei's official reason was that he was feeling ill.

the Chinese government has long been a proponent of crushing free speech.  In the wake of being in the public eye by hosting the olympic games, it has become much more dificult to wipe the blood from their hands before going on the air.

A recent arrest of "political prisoner" Hu Jia for comparing China to Nazi Germany resulted in a 3 and 1/2 year sentence for "inciting subversion against the state"  His wife and child were placed under house arrest, and when she continued his blog, she dissapeared.

It is not uncommon for Chinese citizens to be attacked and killed by their government for offering dissenting views, and blogging is no exception to the rule.

The Chinese Government has also designated areas for protesting, though it appears to be an empty gesture.  Several applicants say that they have been wrongfully discouraged or denied permits for protesting; many of those that have been approved have now gone missing.

The has been some debate over whether two of the competing gymnasts for the Chinese team are eligible to participate.   One, He Kexin, has two contradicting documents of her age.  One lists her as being 16, and the other as 14.   Jiang Yuyuan is also listed as having an age of 14 and 16 from different offiicial documents.  The 2007 age stipulations would prevent 14 year olds from participating in the olympics.  The two athletes have passports which support them being of age.

Two athletes were stripped of there titles after testing positive to banned substances.  The bronze and sivler medalist for shooting, North Korean Kim Jong-su had his winnings revoked, and a gymnast from Vietnam was also punished, though she did not place within 3rd for her event of artistic gymnastics.  This years Olympics has some 4,000 drug tests planned for olympians.