Why does China being a host scare people?

Since when does China controlling their territory and treating their people have to do with sports? Last time I checked this is happning in China not America. Mind your own business. I think boycotting sports is stupid. China's control over countries has nothing to do with the olympics and the way they treat THEIR citizens also has nothing to do with it.

Since when does China's politics have to do with sports?

Note: Iraq has been banned for having it's government butting into olympic affairs.

Nothing, the only thing that worries me about the Olympics being held in China is their lack of environmental standards and some of our athletes getting poisoned one way or another.

Actually, last I saw the Iraqis were readmitted.

I think using the Olympics as a political tool is rather low, but at the same time, the Olympics cause an even more intensified view of China. After all of their hardships and blunders these past few years, and the fact that a country which is still very fundamentally flawed is becoming a global power, I guess that causes some anxiety in the rest of the world.

Boycotting the games doesn't send a message though, it makes the people who do it look like fools.

I watched a documentary last weekend that showed what China has been doing to prepare to host the olympics. This documentary also followed a few of the chinese athletes, and it reminds me of how Russia used to treat its athletes. Do I agree with their politics? No but I agree that their politics should not be a factor with regard to hosting the olympics. As long as all the athletes are treated the same while they're in country competing - that's all that matters to me.

I'm pretty sure it doesn't scare anyone but rather upsets them. I see your point that sports has nothing to do with politics but human rights has to do with everything. The olympics is all about getting other countries together on one field, as equals & it's hard to see that when it is held in a comunist country that treats their people like property.
It's just sad, that's all.
P.S. Irac is allowed in the olympics again.

This is not the first time the Olympics have been used as a political tool, whether that's right or wrong.

What is of concern is suppresion of news reports coming out of China.

the idea of the Olympics is to teach all to see that we are the same but the reason China has the Olympics is because of their power in the world and not because they have become good guys

politics is about how people live & suffer in this world
the olympics is just a load of games

which is more important?

It's more about caution than fear. China is known to be naughty by nature.

Republicans are afraid of everything, what can I say?

I agree, boycotting the olympics because of China's political ills is asinine.

LOL at the first answer.
Only the xenophobic are afraid of that.

I agree with you totally.

hot dogs over there are totally different than american hot dogs

I'm not scared.