Although I love the games, I feel it was awarded to China prematurely. Especially when you consider the Tiananmen Square student massacre was only maybe a dozen years earlier than the IOC vote.

Then again, another part of me believes that more economic development will lead to more openness within governments, ultimately offering more rights to the people.

It did happen with South Korea after the ‘88 games, which transformed from a military dictatorship into a democracy. Granted, I don’t think the Olympics can take sole credit, but I do believe they played some part in it.

And if you look at it from the point of view of the Chinese, I think these worldwide protests of the torch are a huge wake-up call. So in effect, the games just may very well create a shift for China. It’s too soon to tell, but I look forward to seeing what happens.