| Security of the Olympic Flame in India |
| Vinod Anand Recent events in Olympia, Greece where the Olympic Torch lighting ceremony was disturbed by Tibetans wishing to draw attention to their cause has implications for the security of the Torch Relay passing through Delhi. Further, in the light of violent Tibetan protests and storming of the Chinese embassy in Delhi urgency has been added to organizing foolproof security for the event in Delhi. National Security Adviser, MK Narayanan, has promised that, "We will provide all possible arrangements to ensure that the Olympic torch travels through India peacefully." Earlier the torch relay was to be held in Mumbai, but due to "logistical and operational reasons," the venue had to be shifted to Delhi. However, it is apparent that the major factors that weighed on the minds of the Indian Olympic Association were security considerations. The two main events in India which require huge logistical, operational and security efforts are the Independence Day speech delivered by the Prime Minister from the ramparts of Red Fort on 15 August and the Republic Day Parade on 26 January every year along the Rajpath-India Gate-Red Fort route. Generally, this would be the route (less Rajpath) along which the Olympic Torch Relay would be taken, but in the reverse direction. The level of security for the Relay is not likely to be at the same level as the above events. For Republic Day, massive security arrangements involving 200 companies of the Delhi Police, National Security Guard, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and other Security and paramilitary forces are made for providing enhanced security. All entry points into Delhi are manned by police pickets to prevent the entry of undesirable elements. Air defence cover is also provided to thwart any air threat. In addition helicopters are employed for air surveillance of the parade route. Though Delhi has suffered many terror attacks, any untoward incident has been avoided so far during the two major national events because of these massive security and administrative arrangements. The Olympic torch relay in Delhi is an international event and all efforts need to be made to avoid any embarrassment to the Indian government. Some security measures have already been put into place for the event. The Route for the last Olympic Torch Relay in New Delhi in June 2004 was from Qutub Minar in South Delhi to India Gate/National Stadium, a distance of approximately 21kms. Now, since the distance has been reduced to 9kms the requirements of security arrangements would be less, and greater security can be provided with the same resources. Further, in June 2004, 105 participants had taken part in the Relay but only 80 participants would be taking part this time. The time taken from start to finish of the Relay would be two hours, which is considerably less than the last time, thus reducing the risk-exposure time. Interestingly, Tibetan organzations have approached Aamir Khan and other prominent participants to refrain from participating in the Olympic Torch Relay as a mark of protest against human rights violations by China. Special emphasis on anti-sabotage checks, access control and intelligence coordination are needed. The entire route from Red Fort to India Gate needs to be covered by a special security cordon and anti-terrorist arrangements. Coordination between the Army, Intelligence Bureau and other security forces must be instituted much in advance, and regular checks would be mandatory a few weeks before the event. A large number of Commandos should be mobilized from the Delhi Police and the ITBP and a number of Mobile Hit Teams (Quick Reaction Teams/Force in military parlance) as well as Sniper Teams of the National Security Guard should be deployed. After the termination of the Relay Run a Cultural Programme of approximately two hours duration has been organized. A dress rehearsal for the security, traffic and administrative arrangements for the cultural event had already been organized on 6 January when a Cultural Programme on 1000 days to the Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 was organized. In addition to the likely threat to the disruption of the torch relay by Tibetan groups, there is also a threat from terrorist groups like the Lakskar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Besides the NSA, both the Home Minister and Foreign Minister have assured the Chinese that the passage of the Olympic flame through Delhi would be safe. Despite the many politico-diplomatic differences between India and China on the Tibetan issue and controversies surrounding it, India is obliged to ensure the smooth conduct of the event which is of a non-political nature. |
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4/17/2008
Security of the Olympic Flame in India
Chinese students to escort Olympic flame
Chinese students to escort Olympic flame
Tue, Apr 15 01:18 PM
New Delhi, April 15 (IANS) Over a dozen Chinese college students are expected to act as escorts for the Olympic flame when the torch comes here Thursday from Islamabad, but no decision has yet been taken on involving Chinese security personnel, an official source said.
'Negotiations are still on between the Indian and Chinese sides on the details of the security arrangement for the torch relay,' the source told IANS.
Beijing has proposed 16 of its own security personnel guard the torch procession, but New Delhi is not keen to involve them. A decision on this issue is likely to be taken Tuesday night, the source said.
India has made it clear to China that ensuring security of the Olympic torch in the country is its responsibility.
It has also conveyed that, being a democracy, it can't stop Tibetans from holding protests, but will ensure that they do not come anywhere close to the torch procession.
Chinese personnel formed part of the security cover for the torch relay legs through Paris and London, which were disrupted by pro-Tibet protesters.
China is anxious about the safety of the New Delhi leg of the Olympic torch relay, especially after Tibetan activists infiltrated the Chinese embassy compound following the reported crackdown on Tibetan protesters in Lhasa last month.
The relay here was originally slated to be from the Red Fort to India Gate. The route has been truncated from nearly nine kilometres to a little over two kilometres. It will now start at Rashtrapati Bhawan and end at India Gate, in the heart of the capital.
Protests by Tibetans against the Chinese crackdown in Tibet and the attempts at disruptions in London and Paris have forced the Indian government and the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to make changes in both the route as well as the people to be invited for the relay.
The IOA has kept the list of sportspersons and celebrities who will take part in the Olympic Torch relay in the capital Thursday a closely guarded secret.
IOA president Suresh Kalmadi is expected to announce the names of the runners on the eve of the relay.
Initially, some 80 names were selected for the run, but uncertainty over the route and security concerns made some of the sportsmen and women excuse themselves.
The list has now been pruned to almost half the original 80. Some names still doing the rounds include those of cricket stars Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar, as well as film star Aamir Khan. The runners are expected to include brand ambassadors of sponsors of the Beijing Olympics, like Samsung, Lenovo and Coca Cola.
Beijing Olympic flame reaches India
 | + | - | 11:28, April 17, 2008 |
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Save ArticleThe Olympic flame, carried in a specially-designed lantern on a chartered plane, was flied to New Delhi from Islamabad, Pakistan.
Upon arrival, the Olympic flame and the whole delegation were welcomed by a cheering crowd, among whom are President of India Olympic Committee Kalmandi and Chinese Ambassador to India Zhang Yan.
Jiang Xiaoyu (L in front), executive vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee for the 2008 Olympic Games (BOCOG), displays the lantern which holds the Olympic flame together with Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi (R in front) upon arrival in New Delhi, capital of India, April 17, 2008. New Delhi is the 11th leg of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games torch relay global tour outside the Chinese mainland.
The flame delegation is headed by Jiang Xiaoyu, vice president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of Olympic Games, who carried the flame lantern. A Indian girl offered a bunch of flowers to Jiang.
The Olympic torch relay, the first time for New Delhi, will start Thursday afternoon along three-kilometer-long Raji Path between the Indian Gate and the Indian Presidential Palace. 70 torch bearers will take part in the relay.
Another US Congress committee holds steroids hearings: Uniform testing laws?
Another US Congress committee holds steroids hearings: Uniform testing laws?
The AP publishes this lenghty article on Rep Bobby Rush's "House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection" hearings, which invited America's sports leagues chiefs.
Some members of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection used Wednesday's hearing to express doubts that the leagues have done enough since a similar session before the same subcommittee in 2005. Several called for a federal law to legislate drug testing for all the major professional sports.
"Let's get it right this time. ... Let's go ahead and get something into law that is acceptable," Texas Republican Joe Barton said. "It's no fun having this hearing every two to three years."...
There were no players at Wednesday's hearing. Instead, the commissioners sat side-by-side with their sport's union chiefs: Bud Selig was inches away from Donald Fehr; Stern was next to Hunter. Then there was the NFL's Roger Goodell and Gene Upshaw, and the NHL's Gary Bettman and Paul Kelly.
The NBA's David Stern disagreed with PED testing mandates:
No, thank you, said Stern, who twice interrupted lawmakers to cite the progress made by all four leagues since the 2005 hearing through collective bargaining with their respective unions. He and the other witnesses also cautioned against a one-size-fits-all law that would apply to their very divergent sports.
"Federal legislation in this area is not necessary for the NBA," Stern said. "Nor do I believe that a uniform, federally mandated approach to drug testing for all sports leagues would be appropriate."
(more on the issues after the jump)
"In spite of the fact that they want to pronounce that they have it under control, I still think that it's not fully under control," said the subcommittee's chairman, Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill. "And we have to do more."
The committee should consider sports frauds law -- that would protect the consumer.
Continue reading "Another US Congress committee holds steroids hearings: Uniform testing laws?" »
Cops on 'roids present big problems
Cops on 'roids present big problems
Lately the sports world water calmed down, just in time for the political storms to blow in. However, another group of roid users -- law enforcement -- now grabs the headlines. (see companion story on federal authorities looking at cops on 'roids)
The Tennessee Highway Patrol announced an investigation of THP troopers engaged in steroid use or trafficking.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is investigating allegations of troopers using or selling steroids, a spokesman says.
Mike Browning said Monday night an internal investigation is under way into the accusations.
"It's based on allegations that came to us," he said. "We take it seriously."
A similar investigation at the Metro Nashville Police Department led to temporary disciplinary action this year against three officers, who were stripped of their badges and guns.
A Michigan grand jury indicted four policemen and a biker for a steroids trafficking ring in the Detroit area.
Four police officers and a member of the Highwaymen Motorcycle Club (HMG) have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Detroit on charges ranging from lying to federal agents, lying to a grand jury, and committing various drug offenses.
In addition, a formal criminal complaint was filed against Detroit area attorney Lee O’Brien for lying to federal agents. All charges arose from an FBI investigation that resulted in the indictment of over forty HMG members and associates last year.
David Tomlan, a Garden City police officer, was brought to the attention of the FBI by the Garden City Police Department after they discovered he had become an HMG member. Tomlan’s employment with the police department has since been terminated.
Miami police arrested a Miami police officer for purchasing steroids through the Internet.
Miami Officer John I. Fedak, a U.S. Marine reservist who recently completed a tour in Iraq, has been arrested on charges of buying steroids through the mail, police said.
He is the third Miami officer arrested this week...
Fedak, 26, was cuffed late Wednesday, charged with possession of a controlled substance.
Miami internal affairs investigators ''received information'' that Fedak, six-foot-two, 175 pounds, had been buying steroids for his own use.
Detectives teamed up with Miami-Dade police, the FBI and U.S. postal inspectors to send a phony delivery -- a package containing four vials of steroids -- to Fedak's home.
Fedak, knowing the package contained steroids, signed for the delivery and was arrested, according to his arrest report.
The Village Voice reviews the recent New York police steroid busts:
While NYPD officials boast about what they claim is a steady drop in crime on the streets, crimes committed by cops may be on the upswing.
In the past couple of years, the city's cops have not only been caught up in steroids investigations, like the one revolving around Lowen's Pharmacy in Bay Ridge; they've also been nabbed for running a Canada-to-Long-Island dope ring, stealing guns from their evidence rooms and selling them, providing muscle for an Albanian stick-up crew, pimping out teenaged girls, ratting out their own department to gangster pals, and stealing drugs to give to their informants.
Ouch. Does anyone want policemen, who carry deadly force to be increasing their aggressiveness by 'roiding? Seems the world has gone goofy.
DOPED OR DUPED?
DOPED OR DUPED?
This year, another doping scandal has hit the famous cycling event, the Tour de France. Last year, the superstar Floyd Landis was disgraced when he was accused of doping with testosterone. He initially claimed to have the same problem faced by others like the notorious blogger, Dr. Urs Truly, namely, an un-naturally high level of testosterone that is considered impermissible by society.
Doping is, as all of us know, the taking of prohibited substances that can enhance performances in sports. These include blood, blood producing substance Erythropoietin, anabolic steroids, diuretics, and so many more.
The first recorded case of doping was in the eighth century BC when Ancient Greek Olympians ate Ram’s testicles (ouch!), thereby getting a fix of testosterone, presumably. Through the centuries, countless other cases took place, including the historic dethroning of Canadian Ben Johnson who won the 100m sprints in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Guilty of doping Stanazolol (an anabolic steroid), Johnson was disgraced and replaced by Carl Lewis. And let us not forget that Shane Warne, the legendary Aussie leg spinner lost one year, for doping diuretics.
Why the blog, you wonder?
Because, simply put, I think the world is wrong. I think there is nothing essentially wrong with taking performance-enhancing drugs. In a way, every athlete does try this when he eats loads of proteins and vitamins, which could enhance performance. Anyone can get stimulated by a cup of coffee, for another example. Or feel less pain with a painkiller or a shot of alcohol. There are many agents with potential adverse effects on the consumer’s health that are banned from use. Every sports agency in the world prohibits doping. And every year, great athletes test positive, get disgraced, and fade away, never to be seen or heard again.
What is essentially wrong if performance is enhanced? It may give an unfair advantage to the user, perhaps, though I am not aware of any scientifically conducted trials that prove this. It is, therefore, possible that these drugs are thought to be enhancers, but not actually so. In effect, this means that those great athletes who have been banished from the honor roll of history may not actually have committed any crime at all, beyond breaking a rule. Big effing deal!
Contrary to popular belief, drug intake may actually affect health negatively and cause weakness. Try taking a diuretic, and feel the difference! Left to themselves, once science disproves the notion that additives are of no use, athletes will not use them. Contrarily, once specific drugs are proven to be enhancers, everyone would use them.
There is, in my mind, no other moral locus standi to banning these drugs other than a cry for equal opportunity and egalitarianism, all catchwords for not allowing people to scale the heights possible to mankind. For an interesting article, look here. Look at countries that have sophisticated training centers, psychologists and sports physiologists: don’t their sportsmen do better than Indian and Bangladeshi athletes? Should we bring their preparation down to our level so that there be ‘fair’ competition? When they eat loads of meat and fruits, are the athletes not artificially pumping in iron, proteins, minerals and vitamins? Then why the hypocrisy of disallowing sportsmen from taking drugs that would (at least theoretically) take sports performances to a new level?
Do the top honchos of these Olympic Associations not take Viagra at a big night out (or in)? Why, is that not performance enhancement??
'Dope-free' pigs bred for the 2008 Olympics
CHINA – OLYMPICS
'Dope-free' pigs bred for the 2008 Olympics
To avoid accidental false positives in doping tests for the next Olympic Games, China is breeding special all-natural pigs in secret, under video surveillance.
Friday, September 7, 2007
By Y.QIAN
According to a report published at the end of August in Xinjing Bao, one of Beijing's largest official daily papers, these biologically-raised pigs receive very special treatment: they are raised in carefully selected parks throughout the country, far from all forms of pollution - far from big cities, transportation lines, and especially industrial zones and mines.
They are fed with agricultural products certified by the European Union as being organic and free of additives. Additives often found in normal pigs in China could potentially cause an athlete to fail his doping test, says Niu Nansheng, spokesman for Lucky Crane, a company providing pork for the Games, in an interview with the Financial Times.
In addition, the pigs are given vaccines made with traditional, 100% natural Chinese medicinal plants. And - they do sports. Every day, the pigs are required to do at least two hours of exercise in fresh air, to ensure that they will be fit by the time the Olympic athletes arrive next year. To ensure the safety of the pigs, the Chinese government is keeping their whereabouts secret. Not only are these parks under video surveillance, but they are also under 24-hour protection by security professionals.
"We are on a political mission. And for a political mission, one never speaks of cost," explains Niu Nansheng. News of the pig's special treatment sparked waves of criticism among Chinese Internet users. On the forum "Douban", where young people exchange opinions on books and articles, one can find numerous commentaries on the government's precautions in the lead-up to the Games. "All those close to the government live more happily than others - even the pigs!" writes one Internet user. “The beautifual image of a country rests neither on the Olympic Games, nor on pigs," mocks another. On the forum “11 persons”, a poem in slang circulates, “We Chinese people have to offer a great meal to our foreign friends even if we have to live without shorts ourselves. We Chinese people are diverting steel from our precision instruments in order to make window frames for our foreign friends”.