Chinese officials who were once promising a dazzling Olympic celebration have now set their sights on the more modest goal of carrying off the games without major trouble, according to the Canadian Press. “In the beginning, the Beijing municipal government says that want to have the best games in Olympic history. Now they say, ‘A high-quality Olympics with Chinese characteristics,'” an international affairs specialist at Renmin University in Beijing, Jin Canrong, said. “If the games go without incident, that will be successful.”

Beijing’s effort to avoid protests during the games may wind up dampening the festivities.

“It’s like they’re getting ready to throw a great party and then trying to restrain the partygoers,” Robert Dietz of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists told the news agency. He said he was denied a visa despite two decades of travel to China. “They’re not ready to welcome the world.”

FAN RULES ISSUED FOR OLYMPICS

Whistles, banners, and nudity will be banned at next month’s Olympic games, according to rules issued yesterday by organizers in Beijing. A ban on flags from regions not recognized by the Olympics will have the effect of prohibiting the flags of Taiwan, which competes as Chinese Taipei, and of Tibet, both of which China considers part of its territory.

The rules are similar to those used in past Olympics, but Beijing spectators will be permitted to bring umbrellas to ward off both sun and rain. “Beijing locals like to use a parasol to block out the sunshine, but we have to remind people not to open umbrellas in the seating areas so as not to block others’ view,” an Olympic organizer, Huang Keying, told China’s state-run news agency, Xinhua. “We have specially trained staff to communicate with spectators and point out their misconduct.” Sit-ins and demonstrations are forbidden, along with soft drink containers, musical instruments, cameras, and radios

Another organizer told Xinhua that locals were being encouraged to cheer for both Chinese and foreign athletes. Some of the warnings were hard to fathom, such as instructions “not to deliberately display commercial logos on clothes” and not to be “part of a group of people wearing identical patterned clothes.”

BEIJING DENIES DISSIDENT CRACKDOWN

Reports that Beijing is rounding up dissidents to limit protest or disruption of the Olympics are “untrue and groundless,” the official Xinhua news service said yesterday. “To ensure a successful Olympic games, and to ensure the safety of athletes and visitors, China has taken a series of necessary, legitimate, and reasonable security steps. This falls in line with routines of previous Games and major international sports events,” the news bureau said, quoting an unnamed Chinese Olympic official.

International human rights groups have reported a clear increase in arrests of dissenters, such as Zeng Hongling, who wrote critical articles about the giant earthquake in May, and Huang Qi, a human rights activist and writer. Both were arrested last month.

BOXER FIGHTS FOR OLYMPIC SLOT

A light flyweight boxer, Luis Yanez, is vowing to keep fighting for a slot on the Olympic team, despite a ruling from USA Boxing yesterday upholding a decision to kick him off the squad for missing more than three weeks of practice, the Associated Press reported.

Mr. Yanez asked to be restored to the spot, saying he left training without permission to take care of his sister and her children while she underwent treatment for addiction to crack cocaine, the AP reported. The boxer is expected to appeal the decision to an arbitrator this week.

JAVELIN THROWER GETS LAST MINUTE BERTH

An eight-time national Javelin champion who failed to qualify at the American track and field trials, Breaux Greer, will be heading to Beijing after getting a discretionary slot from American Olympic officials, the Associated Press reported. USA Track & Field cited provisions for injured athletes in awarding the place to Mr. Greer, who was eliminated with a 17th-place finish early in the trials. Mr. Greer hurt his shoulder at an international competition last year, where he won a Bronze medal.