Âé¶¹´«Ã½

Soundbites

23 July 2008

“As a sport, cycling is dead. As a spectacle, it is still running – like a chicken with its head cut off.”

French journalist Laurent Joffrin, on the news that Tour de France cyclist Riccardo Ricco had tested positive for a previously undetectable form of a banned blood-boosting drug. Two Spanish cyclists have also been disqualified from the race for doping (³¢¾±²úé°ù²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô, Paris, 18 July)

“Pea-soup air at the opening ceremony would be their worst nightmare.”

Victor Cha, director of Asian Studies at Georgetown University in Washington DC, on China’s “Olympic shutdown”, in which half of Beijing’s 3.3 million…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with Âé¶¹´«Ã½ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop