Just because China won the right to the 2008 Olympic games does not mean it doesn't have to honor their "promises" for advancing social change, including human rights and free speech for the athletes. Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has had "very frank and open discussions" with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao as of yesterday, but declined to give details. Rogge has stated that the Summer Games have posed a "crisis" for the Olympic movement.

The Olympic Torch Relay has faced a tough audience so far. San Francisco yesterday avoided much of the conflict and disruptions that occurred in London and Paris by shortening the planned route and moving the closing ceremony from the waterfront to the International Airport. The Olympic torch's next stop is Buenos Aires and then to a dozen other countries in its 21-stop, six-continent tour before arriving in mainland China on May 4.  The 2008 Olympics will begin August 8.

Rogge has been asked if he regretted awarding the 2008 Olympics to Beijing. He stated that, with hindsight, it was not a wise and a sound decision", but Beijing had "clearly the best bid" and the strong pull of taking the Olympics to one-fifth of the world's population.