

A survey of the business of sport

Fun, games and money

Sport has become a global business as well as a recreation for billions, says Patrick Lane (interviewed here). But how to make it faster, higher, stronger?

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Readers' comments


James Gaffney

Brazilian footballers in Vietnam and the Faroe Islands? That's the kind of trivia that has David Goldblatt's "The Ball is Round" written all over it, a fascinating book.

Lynn Black

No, they are not doing any better than us in some aspects and surely there is no government or political org. can be defined as just and good. The ideal philosophical king does not and can not exist in this imperfect world. All that we are doing is chasing after perfection which we know we may never get there.

They is no need to criticise the West harshly. And it is precisely the point why the western media is sending out those messages-- I'm so sorry to say that, but a lot of them create hatred and misunderstanding.

People always rush to conclusion and start to criticise. Like a considerable amount of people think all the problem of China is caused by the CCP. But, is this true? Are there any other historical or cultural causes? What is the real problem we are facing here besides the CCP?

Sometimes I feel grateful that my government is quietly taking all the blames in a very dignified Chinese way.

So, Tony, I think you don't need to be so angry and please try to understand it is some governments and some idiotic ambitious politicians in the west started all those awful things and most people in the west do not agree with and protested hard against them.

If the west needs to blame China to divert the inner tension, then the only thing we can do is stand as firm and solid as we are. Anyway, this is no big deal. The real matter is to make our home a better home--we still have 1.3 billion people to feed so we need to work hard to not only educate those who can not read all this messages on this website but also make sure that they will understand why and will not draw their strength from hatred.


Most of the problems are inflicted by the West, talking all stuff like boycott, freedom, democracy and human rights. Are the West doing good? NO. Look at Iraq and G. Bay in Cuba. The West should shut their mouth up!

Lynn Black

Analects of Confucius

The most influential book of China. Some of you may have read it I guess. But personally, I found it is very hard to systematically draw a frame work of what Chinese philosophy is from there. All the ideas and concepts are just like hidden in this book and the words and dialogs are like the clue to them.....I have to confess I don't enjoy reading it much and I personally do not agree with some of the ideas in there.

And there are the "Four books and five Scriptures". (Analects of Confucius is one of them). I am reading them currently and the ancient language is just keeping my pace.

But yes, the four books and five scriptures are always nice to start with. There are more though. Before the establishment of the first feudal kingdom (the Qin Dynasty, and is somewhere between 770 BC to 221 BC), there was a short period of booming of philosophy. It is believed that there were around more than 100 schools of thoughts at the same time.

Anyway, if the four and the five are not enough, then Zhuang Zi and Han Fei Zi(this one is especially for those who are interested in LAW, but you may find the law according to him can be a bit different) are always good to read.......Sometimes I think having a so long written history is trouble some, there are too many things I can read and the reflections of some of them today is really hard to grasp.

Now, come back to the word equality. It is actually a Form and the way we define it are all its reflections. I just feel we are kids each with a different container filled with water in it. As we standing in the garden in the night and gaze into the container and see the reflection of the moon， we start arguing which container contains the true and perfect reflection....sorry I'm just babbling here


The Olympics, which comes every 4 years, is supposed to cleanse our minds of political, economic and religious worries/conflicts. It a time to forget such devisive issues and a time to sit back and share a basic social exchange based on entertainment and friendly competition.

I will sit back and relax and stay glued to the TV and the internet to enjoy the games to the fullest without being there.

I will not even listen [be intentionally deaf] to any political slogan/pitch as this is not the proper avenue for such.

I congratulate and praise China for striving hard to host a unique/unforgettable Olympics no matter what the issues are.


Lynn Black,

I am also interested in the philosophers you were refering too. I'd like to read them.


Calvin Kostov,

I think it’s better to make clear that I do not intend to defend for Chinese government’s actions. As a Chinese I have more acute feelings and stronger emotions about what this government has done to its people. Thanks to information technology and proliferation of internet, more and more Chinese are realizing what kind of a government we have. That said, Chinese authorities did exhibit a restrained response to the unrest in Tibet in March. No live ammunition was used against the rioters. Why do some guys stubbornly claim that Chinese government has sent troops to kill protesters? I hate authoritarian regime, but I hate lies even more.



1. OK, you draw it and I just ignore it. \
2. There is, especially on English bbs like this one. Whenever China happens to be the topic, accusations like pollution, human rights abuse, news censorship, repression of Tibetans, to name just a few, will come in tow. Is China only all about these things?

Calvin Kostov

Lynn Black,

I have read few text on Chinese philosophy, my knowledge is based off of friends I know who were born and lived there and scattered text of Chinese philosophers I have read throughout my time. What text/philosophers would you recommend I read? I am always open to seeing things through other cultures view point, this may be a way to add to the number of ways I view the world. Thanks.

Lynn Black

Hi Calvin,

First of all, I'm not suggesting that I'm a Miss know-it-all in western philosophy. And, my view about equality is neither Western nor Chinese:)

And, you are right. The word western is debatable itself among the sholars. Some even believed that the origin of western civilization is Babylon, which is modern Iraq... ironically.

Your view of equality is perfectly in line with the so called western ideology, I think. But, the only on question I would like to ask is, at this stage, who make the law. I guess the point I'm trying to make is, we do think differently. You would be surprised if you can read some original Chinese philosophy and find out what Chinese think about Law.

Carlito Brigante

yongke, Why do those reporters in Beijing need to follow political stuff on the Net? Well, is there any wrong with the activity? Thatyou surf the Net for something. Nothing special. Kid's stuffin this day and age. Why don't you let them do it? And, thatis something you guys do love to do, not least when it comes to political matters, even when you're outside your country with a PC.Still as for those from the U.S., it's an election year. They arevoters (as well as human-beings). As for correspondents for this newspaper, I guess, they are strictly required to follow events not only of their own fields, but also other turf. So that their views, I hope, won't be skewed, distorted, slanted (Sir,isn't it?). And the Net is the very best ammunition for the job.Internet access is completely free for correspondents in Beijing?I learned this anecdote in the Financial Times. But if you insist, let's see what'll be going on. Still, come to think of it, this newspaper--which is very adept at reporting China affairs--hasn't talked about it, as far as I know. Well, maybe, you are right, so that it's no wonder it didn't refer to it. Still, it had grabbed the info but thought it's not that big an issue to report, so it's shay away from it. Or, your authorities just decided it, "as The Economist went to press."Don't know if you live in the country or somewhere else. Butyou sound you guys know the fact that the Games coveragewill be (exclusively) manipulated. If so, it's a very G. Isn't that something? You guys are, real, real, well, tolerant.You're right. Things what you see on TV are not live, technically,always. So things delivered all the way from Beijing to, say,the U.S. still have ample moments to be somehow manipulated.Can be manipulated in the process of coddling and appeasing,for the sake of a pretzel George this time, and for the sake of your man maybe next time. An electronic form of diplomacy. Beautiful.People don't necessarily have to watch disgusting, obnoxious things that lose your appetite or sleep. If you can stave them off just waving your magic wand, it's real good for your people.And it's, eventually, good for the country's GDP.

Calvin Kostov


The United States suffers bashing by the media much more than China, even when the Chinese government is committing worse atrocities on their people (I am not talking about just killing, I am talking about censorship, lack of true economic freedom, income redistribution and various other ills associated with a large government).

There is a large difference between being paranoid and ignoring the facts, thinking everyone is out to get you.

Lynn Black,

If that is what you think equality is, then you do not understand western politics and philosophy as much as you think. Equality is simply before the law, so that a law created in a country applies to all people equally. Respects, not insulting others, and listening to other people's opinions is along the lines of freedom of speech or just cultural tradition of respecting others so that others respect you. They are not in any way uniform throughout the west (can China stop with this 'the West' business, Serbia and the United States do not share the same political or philosophic history, same with Germany or Great Britian, etc.) and vary greatly from country to country.



1. I think you do.

2. There is no such orgy. Bad news sells newspapers. China is not a special case. Like it or lump it.


We Chinese do not need others to draw for us the line between being paranoid and not. But we feel enormously bored by the orgy of smearing and tainting as well.


Having just read through both the article and comments I did not find any "negative comments" or "China-bashing" in either.

Time to stop being paranoid guys....It's getting boring...

Lynn Black

I'm getting tired of all these negative comments. so what ever your attitude is, we welcome you to Beijing and enjoy the game.

For the rest, like the ideological and cultural conflict between the west and east, I just want to say, "who cares? Let’s enjoy the Olympics"

And on thing need to be asserted: Even though some of the westerners think we are inferior and pathetic people who have no freedom and so ignorant about the rest of the world, some of us probably know and understand more about western philosophy and politics than most of the westerners. Equality is when you respect and accept the fact that others may have different believes but you still treat them as equal and can share with them about your point of view with out making insult or attack


To those headless souls who have hastened to jump on the China-bashing bandwagon here:

Please do not be swayed by hearsays and rumors no matter how many times they are repeated to you and repeat them to other innocent folks like yourselves. Chinese government haven't killed ethnic minority people in Xinjiang or Tibet in the recent unrest. Foreign journalists have been allowed to go in and see for themselves. So, stop spreading untruth and have a mind, okay?


That�s great, good luck folks. But don�t count on myself: I am out of it. Sick and tired. Italy�s winning the world cup was the last scandal i could stand.


Interesting report about the global sports business.With a view to the US in particular, in spite of all the great commercial success and huge amounts of money being generated, there's no mention about how (if) all this activity might be leading to increased sports participation by ordinary people of all ages or the provision of more and better facilities for sports activities. No mention either of how any of the river of money flowing into big sports such as Football or Baseball is being redirected to help the growth of so called minor sports (lacrosse,rugby and many others) , where America often seeks to compete internationally while paying zero attention to the health of the same sports domestic competitions/participation.The USA, like much of the world, is experiencing an epidemic in obesity, partly caused by the general lack of regular physical activity for much of the population. Increased access to all types of sports activities would be part of a larger solution to this problem. Large cities such as New York suffer from an almost criminal lack of decent sports facilities. A country can define itself to the world through participation in international sports competition, better than via almost any other medium. Anyone who was present as a valiant US team of amateurs put on an incredibly courageous display against the professionals of mighty South Africa at last years rugby world cup in front of a wildly supportive crowd of 40,000 French men and women and hundreds of millions on TV can attest to that. Similarly those who witnessed the unbridled joy of the people of Iraq as their team won last year's Asian Soccer championship.


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