Since the beginning of the modern Olympic movement in the late nineteenth century, the Olympic Games has been used by politicians, religious groups, nationalists, extremists, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments and alliances of states to launch their political activities. In the twentieth century, the Olympics were involved in almost every major political event including the Irish Independence Movement, the Second World War, the Suez War, racial segregation in South Africa, the territorial disputes between Palestine and Israel, and the Cold War between the socialist bloc and the capitalist bloc. John MacAloon, a distinguished Olympic historian, concluded, ‘All Olympic Games are, of course, highly politically charged and sensitive in some regions of the world. How could they not be?’.Footnote1 The Beijing Olympics was no exception. The Chinese government hoped that the Games could strengthen national unity and facilitate cultural and economic exchanges in order to stimulate China's integration with the world. But the high visibility of the Games also exposed the country to political criticism. The Beijing Games became one of the most politicised Games in Olympic history.