McGill Experts: 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics

On August 8, the world’s attention will be focused on the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Will politics overshadow the spirit of these ancient Games? Will smog, censorship or protesters grab their share of headlines? We suggest the following McGill sources for your coverage of this story and all continuing coverage of the 2008 Olympics:

History of modern sports in China

Sean Macdonald
Department of East Asian Studies
Expertise: Chinese culture, changing representations of the Chinese cultural tradition in the West.
514- 398-4993
sean.macdonald2 [at] mcgill.ca
French and English media

Athletic disobedience/ Human rights

Frédéric Mégret
Canada Research Chair in the Law of Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Faculty of Law
Expertise: Public international law, international protection of human rights, international criminal law, the laws of war and international relations
514-398-5962
frederic.megret [at] mcgill.ca
French and English media

Human rights

René Provost
Director, Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism, Faculty of Law
Expertise: public international law, international human rights law, and international humanitarian law.
514-398-6647
rene.provost [at] mcgill.ca
Available as of August 12
French and English media

Canada

Antonia Maioni
McGill Institute for the Study of Canada, Director (sabbatical year)
Expertise: Canadian politics, Canada on the world stage
514-398-8346
antonia.maioni [at] mcgill.ca
French and English media

Doping

McGill Chancellor Richard Pound
Expertise: Former president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Contact via cynthia.lee [at] mcgill.ca
French and English media

Sports psychology

Gordon Bloom
Professor, Department of Kinesiology & Physical Education
Expertise: Sports psychology
514-398-4184 x0516
gordon.bloom [at] mcgill.ca
English media, French print media

McGill contingent at the Olympics

An 11-member entourage with ties to McGill University is among the 331 competitors named to the Canadian Olympic team for the 2008 Beijing Games. Six other McGill graduates will serve in an administrative capacity at the Games for either the Canadian Olympic Committee or the IOC.
Contact via Earl Zukerman, Communications Officer, McGill Athletics
514-398-7012
earl.zukerman [at] mcgill.ca