The Beijing Olympics, meanwhile, are a big bowl of bad, unfolding in a country ruled by fear and oppression. American athletes were advised to bring burner phones to China as a defense against government cyber-hacking. COVID suffocation stripped the Games of fans, joy, and spontaneity. Press conferences have been a comical and frightening demonstration of local rule by intimidation; foreign journalists are stonewalled when asking about cheating scandals, while the local reporters lob softballs about favorite foods and the greatness of the event.
— Columnist Dan Shaughnessy: Not hosting the 2024 Summer Olympics is the best thing that never happened to Boston