Just three weeks before the Beijing Olympics, concerns are growing that China's sweeping security measures could end up sucking all the fun out of the world's biggest sportsfest.
Pre-Olympic jitters are almost a tradition but a Chinese visa crackdown that has sent visitor numbers plunging, heightened security checks, dire warnings of terrorist attack and curbs on Beijing nightlife have led to some observers dubbing the 2008 Olympics the "no-fun games".
Michael Payne, the International Olympic Committee's head of marketing for the two decades to 2004, said that in meetings with top Beijing organisers he had stressed a single word of advice: smile.
"The biggest challenge they have to face now is ensuring that the security doesn't suffocate the festival," Mr Payne said. "The Olympics are only special if there is a festival outside the venues."
The atmosphere was less than festive this week at a checkpoint in Yanjiao on the outskirts of Beijing, one of hundreds thrown up around the capital where police with laptops and sniffer dogs halt traffic.
"I know they are working hard, but this really is overkill. We had been checked three times already before we arrived here," said a bus driver from neighbouring Hebei province.
The checkpoints are part of a security operation thrown up around the games by leaders who fear they could be marred by protests, sabotage by "hostile forces" or terrorist attack.
Some popular nightclubs have already been shut while fear of closure has prompted others to cancel events. Officials yesterday denied reports that bars had been told to close their doors to black people or Mongolians.
Official restrictions have put a damper on some games-related corporate and marketing activities. Paul French of the Access Asia retail consultancy abandoned plans for one client's Beijing marketing event because of curbs on outdoor parties. "It has also been difficult to arrange to have the athletes leave the Olympics village to attend events," Mr French said.
Tom Pattinson, editor of the English-language entertainment listings magazine Time Out Beijing, said the prospects for games-time nightlife looked "very dull".
距北京奥运会开幕仅剩三周，人们在日益担忧，中国广泛的安全措施，最终可能会让这场世界最大的体育盛会乐趣全失。
奥运前的紧张不安几乎已成惯例，但中国令游客数量骤减的严格签证措施，加强安全检查，恐怖袭击预警，以及对北京夜生活的限制，已使一些观察人士声称，2008奥运会是一场“没有乐趣的运动会”。
2004年离任、在任上干了20年的国际奥委会(IOC)市场总监麦克尔•佩恩(Michael Payne)表示，在与北京奥组委官员的会谈中，他强调了一个词：微笑。
佩恩称：“北京奥组委目前必须面对的最大挑战是：确保安全措施不会妨碍这场体育盛会。只有在赛场之外也存在节日气氛，才是奥运会的特别之处。”
上周，在北京郊外燕郊的一个检查站，可没有什么节日气氛。这是北京周边突然建起的数百个检查站中的一个。在这些检查站，警察配有手提电脑，携带警犬，对车辆进行检查。
来自河北省的一位巴士司机说道：“我知道他们工作很辛苦，但这的确太过头了。到这儿之前，我们已经被查了三次。”
检查站是中国领导人最新采取的奥运安全举措的一部分。他们担心，示威行动，“敌对势力”的破坏，或恐怖袭击，会给奥运会带来污点。
一些广受喜爱的夜总会已被停业，而另一些夜总会也因担心停业而取消了活动。中国政府官员昨日否认下令酒吧不得招待黑人或蒙古人的报道。
官方限令抑制了一些同奥运有关的企业和市场活动。由于对户外聚会的限制，零售业咨询公司Access Asia的保罗•弗伦奇(Paul French)放弃了一位客户的北京市场活动计划。他表示：“安排奥运村的运动员来参加活动也很困难。”
英语版娱乐指南杂志《Time Out Beijing》的主编彭乐天(Tom Pattinson)表示，奥运期间的夜生活前景似乎“非常乏味”。 （实习编辑：顾萍）
下一篇： 麦当劳的奥运“嘉年华”