The Olympic Games are no longer only about sports. To secure the 2008 Summer Games, Beijing committed to major reforms. Yet, according to human rights groups, the Chinese government has failed to honour most of its pledges, and indeed human rights conditions have deteriorated as a direct result of the Olympics. The environment is a serious concern in Beijing. And already the Olympic torch has run into fierce pro-Tibet protests on its way from the Temple of Hera to Beijing. IPS explores what is behind the flawed picture of Olympian harmony.