The whole point of having the Olympic torch traverse the globe and make a bunch of stops in various countries is to generate and excitement for the Olympic Games. But in an effort to avoid the crowds irate over Chinese human rights abuses, Olympic officials and San Francisco city government hijacked the torch and had it carried someplace where there were no crowds. From the Washington Post:
Less than an hour before the relay began, officials cut the original six-mile route nearly in half.
Then, at the opening ceremony, the first torchbearer took the flame from a lantern brought to the stage and held it aloft before running into a warehouse. A motorcycle escort departed, but the torchbearer was nowhere in sight.
Officials drove the torch about a mile inland and handed it off to two runners away from protesters and media, and they began jogging toward the Golden Gate Bridge, in the opposite direction of the crowds awaiting its passing.
[San Francisco Mayor Gavin] Newsom said a closing ceremony would take place, but would not say where. He also would not reveal the exact torch rout.
Kind of defeats the purpose for having a torch relay, no?
April 9, 2008 - 5:46 pm at 5:46 pm
I feel bad for the athletes themselves who are going to get caught up in this mess.