Monday, August 11, 2008

Olympic dream

What horse related fact links the 2008 summer Olympic games in Beijing to the 1956 summer Olympics held in Melbourne, Australia?

In both cases the equestrian events were held in a different IOC member states - but for opposite reasons. In 1956 the equestrian events were held in Stockholm because Australia's quarantine laws were so strict it would have seriously affected the ability of countries to bring horses into Australia. China was awarded the 2008 games, despite concerns about human rights, and about pollution but almost totally unreported by the press was the fact that the equestrian events would have to be held in Hong Kong because of concern about horse diseases in China.

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